Anti social behaviour
How do I report ASB?
The Borough Council employs an Anti-Social Behaviour Officer
within the Community Safety Unit (CSU). The Anti-Social
Behaviour Officer deals with cases of anti-social behaviour in
the Borough and works alongside the CDRP, incidents of
anti-social behaviour could involve threatening behaviour, problem
families, groups of youths gathering etc.
The Officer will visit victims and gather evidence of the
anti-social behaviour being committed. The CSU will then
work with other agencies, including Social Services, the Police,
Housing Associations, Youth Service, Probation Service and the
Youth Offending Team to tackle the problems.
This will usually include visiting offenders to speak to them
about their behaviour. If these interventions do not stop the
problem, then the case is referred to the ASB Sub-Group of the
CDRP. Membership of the ASB Sub-Group comprises of the
Police, Social Services, Housing Associations, Education and other
agencys that under Section 17 all have a duty to tackle ASB.
The Sub-Group will look at the case and decide on the most
appropriate action which may involve offenders signing Acceptable
Behaviour Contracts, or applications for an Anti-Social Behaviour
Order (ASBO).
To report anti-social behaviour or to discuss a
situation please contact a member of the Community Safety
Unit.
If the anti-social behaviour is serious enough to make you fear
for your safety or the safety of others, you should contact the
police directly, in situations of mortal danger 999 should be
called, in all others instances you should call
Maidstone Police on 01622 690 690.
When you report an incident to police it is very important that
you request a reference number. This will identify your call
and the incident you are reporting and can be used to address the
scale of the problem. The more calls made in an area
by those who are being affected will mean that more
resources will be tasked to the area to tackle the problem.
Alternatively you can report non emergency crime at the
Police online reporting website
or through Crime Stoppers.
Gathering evidence
To make a case against anyone accused of ASB there must be
strong evidence.
The first step in this is to record the incidents, to do this we
can provide you with an Incident Diary so you can record the
details of the behaviour as it happens. The police
may become involved depending on the circumstances and
severity of the problem.
If you are a victim or witness of anti-social behaviour and are
frightened to give evidence for fear of reprisals, you can give
evidence but remain anonymous. This type of evidence is
called hearsay.
A police officer or other professional witness, such as a
council official, health worker, teacher or doctor can also give
evidence in court on behalf of a vulnerable witness.
How the offending behaviour will be challenged
ASB can be challenged using a wide range of
'interventions'. Some of the most effective interventions are
those that directly engage the inpidual and lead them to change
their own behaviour.
The range of interventions include:
- Warning letters and interviews
- Contracts & agreements (eg Acceptable Behaviour
Agreements/Contracts (ABCs/ABAs) and Parenting Contracts)
- Fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and penalty notices for disorder
(PNDs)
- Parenting orders, Inpidual Support Orders (ISOs), Noise
Abatement Notices (NANs),
- Injunctions (ASBIs), dispersal powers and Anti-Social Behaviour
Orders(ASBOs).
- Demoted tenancies, ‘crack house’ closure orders.
- Possession proceedings against a tenant