The Anti Social Behaviour Order or 'ASBO' is designed to deal with those incidents that often fall through the net of the law. An ASBO can be imposed upon an individual if they are over ten years old and are causing distress to others through their behaviour and conduct. Acting like an injunction, the ASBO prohibits the individual from continuing to behave in such a manner and if they break its conditions, they can be sentenced to imprisonment for up to five years.
A number of organisations in the town (including the Council, the Police and 1066 Housing) have agreed to exchange information in order to build strong cases against troublemakers. Once a case has been constructed, the Council or the Police can take it to the Magistrate's Court where, under civil law, a lower 'burden of proof' applies. This enables third parties like Police Officers, Housing Officers and Community Wardens to give evidence. It also overcomes victims' fears of recriminations from offenders by protecting their identities and supporting them where necessary.
In some cases, court proceedings may not be appropriate and the authorities can create an Acceptable Behaviour Contract or ABC between themselves and the offender. This enables them to monitor the offender's conduct and, in most cases, leads to a significant improvement.
So if you are concerned about the anti social behaviour of an individual or group of individuals, call 0800 783 6084 and show the troublemakers that their time is truly up.
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This page last updated: 25/06/2002