Victims urged to call for action on crime
From the Echo, first published Wednesday 15th Oct 2003.
VICTIMS of anti-social behaviour are being urged to put pressure on local agencies to do something about it.
Neighbours from Hell, yobs and beggars are among those who should be firmly dealt with by council workers and local police, according to the government.
Tony Blair and Home Secretary David Blunkett announced a host of measures to tackle nuisance crimes this week.
But they appeared to put the ball firmly in the court of local groups and said communities should not take no for an answer.
Mr Blunkett said change was needed in the attitudes of councils, the courts and police.
"There is no longer any excuse for public services not to listen to victims," he said. "I want to see our public services filled with people who never say no."
The government announced a special package of measures for ten inner city areas but said £22 million will go to crime reduction partnerships.
Mr Blunkett said police officers will receive special training to improve their response to complaints of anti-social behaviour.
New sentencing guidelines will be put in place for magistrates and yobs will receive fixed penalty notices.
Under the government's Anti Social Behaviour Bill, going through Parliament, drugs dens will be closed down, air weapons and replica guns will be banned in public and landlords will be given powers to tackle noisy neighbours.
Bournemouth council's partnership officer for community safety, Sian Jenkins, said a lot of work is being done to stop anti social behaviour in the borough.
Local initiatives in Christ-church show that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated, according to the council's community safety and development officer, Katharine Dew.
Katharine said: "At the first community safety action group meeting, anti-social behaviour and vandalism were highlighted as major concerns.
"We're tackling these by introducing alcohol-free zones and putting up fixed and moveable CCTV cameras."
And Poole Council says it has shown a dedication to tackling antisocial behaviour by being the first area in the county to gain an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) against a troublesome youth - to date Poole has gained 11 ASBOs.
Cllr Chris Bulteel, chair of the Poole Crime and Disorder Partnership, said: "Over the last three years members of the Poole Opinion Panel has stated that anti-social behaviour and the effects of it (criminal damage) should be the number one priority for us to tackle."
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