What is Anti-Social Behaviour
The term anti-social behaviour covers a wide range of selfish and unacceptable activity that can blight the quality of community life.
Examples include:
- Joyriding.
- Prostitution.
- Vandalism.
- Dealing and buying drugs on the street.
- Dumping rubbish.
- Begging.
- Assault.
- Reckless driving of mini-motorbikes.
- Racial abuse.
- Yobbish behaviour and intimidating groups taking over public spaces.
- Writing graffiti.
- Arson.
- Nuisance neighbours.
- The misuse of fireworks.
- Substance misuse.
- Criminal damage.
- Overly excessive noise.
- Carrying out a business from home.
- Kerb-crawling.
- Smoking or drinking alcohol while under age.
- Harassment of residents or passers-by.
- Verbal abuse.
- Throwing missiles.
A legal definition of anti-social behaviour is found in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The Act describes anti-social behaviour as: “Acting in an anti-social manner as a manner that caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household.”
Anti-social behaviour ruins lives. It doesn’t just make life unpleasant - it creates an environment where more serious crime can take hold. Anti-social behaviour is a major issue in some of the UK’s more deprived or disadvantaged communities.
