Antisocial behaviour

Antisocial behaviour is any intimidating or threatening activity that scares a person or damages their quality of life. Examples of antisocial behaviour includes:

• Rowdy, noisy behaviour
• ‘Yobbish' behaviour
• Vandalism, graffiti and fly-posting
• Dealing or buying drugs on the street
• Flytipping rubbish
• Aggressive begging
• Street drinking
• Setting off fireworks late at night

Nottinghamshire Police recognises that antisocial behaviour is an important issue to individuals and communities. The impact of persistent nuisance or harassment can be worse than that of a single crime as, due to the wider impact on a victim's life, their health, mental and emotional well-being can suffer.

Antisocial behaviour powers

The revised powers relating antisocial behaviour (ASB) come into effect on Monday 20 October 2014, streamlining the current 19 powers into six new powers. The six new powers will allow local authorities to tackle ASB faster and more effectively. 

The new powers are:

1. Civil injunctions

These replace the Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction, Drinking Banning Order on application, Anti-Social Behaviour Order on application, intervention orders and individual support orders. Civil injunctions will include positive requirements to get the individual concerned to deal with the underlying causes of their behaviour. This power will come into force in 2015.

2. Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO)

A CBO can be used once an individual has been convicted of a criminal offence. The minimum term is two years and there is no minimum term. Breach is a criminal offence with up to five years in prison for adults, and positive requirements can be included if the court is satisfied they are both suitable and enforceable. CBOs replace Anti-Social Behaviour Orders on conviction and Drinking Banning Orders on conviction.

3. Community Protection Notice (CPN)

A CPN can be issued to deal with a particular problem negatively affecting the community (eg litter, graffiti, noise). A CPN can be issued by Police Officers or authorised staff, including PCSOs, within the local authority.

4. Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)

The PSPO provides councils with a flexible power to put into place local restrictions, to address various ASB issues in public places. It covers specific nuisances on that particular space (eg noise, litter).

5. Closure power

This simplifies existing powers, consolidating four into one. A Closure Notice can be issued for up to 48hrs, and can be followed by a Closure Order which may prohibit access by all persons at all times and in all circumstances.

6. Police Dispersal Powers

This enables Police Officers to require a person whose behaviour has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to leave a specified area and not return for a set period of up to 48 hours.

How should I report antisocial behaviour?

• In an emergency: Call 999 only if life is at risk or a crime is in progress or use the emergency SMS text messaging service if you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired.
• In any other situation: The 101 non-emergency number is the ideal way to report ongoing problems of antisocial behaviour.
• Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
• Contact your neighbourhood policing team

Community triggers

Community Triggers enable victims of antisocial behaviour (ASB) to request a multi-agency review of their case once certain criteria are met.

They are designed to ensure local organisations work together to resolve a complaint and not to replace individual organisations’ own complaints procedures.

For information on the criteria and for how to request a community trigger, please visit our Community Trigger information page.

Useful links

• Nottingham Community Protection: Antisocial behaviour
• Government advice on antisocial behaviour