08 December 2006
Tackling anti-social behaviour costs taxpayers £3.4bn a year, but half of all Asbos are breached and some towns are dogged by perceived threats of yobbish acts, a new study has warned.
In a report that will reignite debate over the most appropriate methods of tackling anti-social behaviour, the National Audit Office this week estimated the cost of current polices and assessed their impact.
It reveals that despite the government's 'Respect' agenda, led by Prime Minister Tony Blair's Anti-social behaviour Unit, half of people in some towns think that they will encounter anti-social behaviour when they leave their homes.
Referring to the NAO's findings, Edward Leigh, chair of the Commons' public accounts committee, said: 'Persistent criminal activity, intimidation and plain disregard for others [is] making our city centres a no-go area.
'In Hackney, for instance, as soon as you leave your front door you have a one in two chance of coming across anti-social behaviour.'
Over 49% of residents in Corby, Northamptonshire also reported feeling regularly unsafe, auditors found.
Nationally, however, the proportion of the public that perceives high levels of anti-social behaviour has fallen: from 21% in 2003 to a government target of 17% this year.
Auditors studied three anti-social behaviour 'interventions' used across twelve towns in England and Wales: warning letters, acceptable behaviour contracts and anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos).
The majority of people (65%) that received an intervention did not re-engage in anti-social behaviour. Indeed, a large amount of anti-social behaviour was dealt with quickly and cost effectively – a letter from a local authority, which costs an average of £66 to produce, was enough to deter 65% of offenders.
Around 65% of those who received acceptable behaviour contracts, which cost around £230, were similarly deterred.
But a hardcore of persistent offenders were responsible for most incidents – and the bulk of the cost to taxpayers. Around 20% of the NAO's sample received 55% of all interventions and had an average of 50 criminal convictions each. Many received full Asbos, which cost an average of £3,100.
But just 40% of Asbo recipients were deterred. Report author Aileen Murphie, the NAO's director of home affairs and justice, confirmed that over half of Asbo recipients breached their order – and a third did so on five or more occasions.
Home Office minister Tony McNulty said: 'The report is strong evidence that Asbos and other interventions are bringing relief to neighbourhoods across the country. For a minority though, who breach their Asbo further action is necessary to protect communities.'
But Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said the high breach rates showed that Asbos were 'far too blunt a tool to deal with the complexities of anti-social behaviour.'
Murphie told PF that while preventative programmes targeting repeat offenders were expensive, 'some are very effective and represent value for money.'
She praised the Respect Action Plan, published by Blair this year, for earmarking youth training initiatives and support for offenders with mental health problems.
However, the Home Office would be better placed to combat anti-social behaviour if it undertook public assessments of all interventions and support programmes, she added.
Local authorities were concerned that a lack of capacity in collecting and managing data, and little experience of using relevant legislation, hindered their ability to tackle offenders and contributed to delays in getting cases through magistrates' courts.
PFdec2006
