What is antisocial behaviour

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) can affect people in different ways. Find out how we tackle cases of antisocial behaviour in the borough.

About antisocial behaviour

Antisocial behaviour is unacceptable and can have a negative effect on everyone's quality of life. Antisocial behaviour is defined in The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as:

(a) conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person,

(b) conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person’s occupation of residential premises, or

(c) conduct capable of causing housing-related nuisance or annoyance to any person

Antisocial behaviour includes:

• Threatening and abusive behaviour
• Intimidating groups taking over public spaces
• Vandalism, graffiti and fly-posting
• Dealing and buying drugs on the street
• Dumped rubbish and abandoned cars
• Begging and antisocial drinking
• Misusing fireworks
• Nuisance neighbours

Our role

In most cases the Community Safety Service does not deal directly with the public but works with the police and other agencies to address high risk problem behaviour.

We liaise with Councillors, MPs, community groups and partners to advise on best practice and ensure that cases are dealt with fairly and effectively through use of a Community MARAC process.

A Community MARAC is a multi-agency problem-solving meeting that jointly considers how antisocial behaviour can be investigated and resolved.