Anti-social behaviour – what is it and how to fight it

Antisocial behaviour – we’ve all heard the term, and we’ve probably all experienced antisocial behaviour at some point in our lives – but do you really know what it means? Furthermore, do you know what to do to help tackle it in your neighbourhood?

What is Anti-social behaviour?

In the UK, the term “anti-social behaviour” (or ASB) covers a wide range of unacceptable activity that causes harm to an individual, to their community or to their environment. Anti-social behaviour could result in you feeling alarmed, harassed or distressed. It also includes fear of crime taking place, a concern for public safety, public disorder or public nuisance.

Straight from Police.uk, examples of anti-social behaviour include:

• Nuisance, rowdy or inconsiderate neighbours
• Vandalism, graffiti and fly-posting
• Street drinking
• Environmental damage including littering, dumping of rubbish and abandonment of cars
• Prostitution related activity
• Begging and vagrancy
• Fireworks misuse
• Inconsiderate or inappropriate use of vehicles

Should I do something when I see or experience Anti-social behaviour?

When people witness or experience anti-social behaviour, they are often unsure of what to do about it. After all, antisocial behaviour is not criminal. However, it is still a serious problem and one that your local police, council and community safety teams are responsible for minimising. 

What police need is information that they can log and use to build a case around the situation. In many cases, if enough complaints are made about a person, vehicle or situation, police can formally intervene. Intelligence from residents is vital. 

What can I do?

Antisocial behaviour warrants a call to 101 (non-emergency) to log the incident. Of course, call 999 if there is an emergency.

However, calling 101 can sometimes be difficult, particularly when the phone-lines are busy – sometimes callers to wait for many hours to report an incident!

There is another way to help fight anti-social behaviour with your local police.

Join Safeland and create a locked or private group with your local police officers and fellow residents. Together, you can log incidents with times, images and other evidence whenever the incident occurs. No more hold music.

Keep in mind that this must be done alongside your local police or community safety officers. Suggest this to them at your next community meeting.

Many communities in London, Leicester and Cambridge are fighting anti-social behaviour together, alongside their cops, in Safeland. To learn more about this method, get in touch with us today.

Don’t forget, Safeland is free 🙂

Good luck out there – keep taking care of each other.

– Team Safeland