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Asbo breaches on the increase
12:29pm Tuesday 9th January 2007
Comments (1)A THIRD of all Asbos issued in north Kent in the past year have been breached.
Fifteen people were given Asbos between April 2005 and April 2006 in Gravesham and Dartford.
Five people breached these orders, resulting in eight charges.
Six Asbos were given in the previous year between April 2004 and April 2005, with three broken.
The figures were released after a request from News Shopper.
Chief Inspector David Cooper of north Kent police, said: "Asbos are an important tool for tackling anti-social behaviour.
"We will be continuing to promote them to bring protection to communities who suffer from anti-social behaviour.
"We will use them alongside other tools available, such as parenting contracts and orders, dispersals, injunctions and acceptable behaviour agreements."
Gravesham Council's lead member for community safety Councillor Andrea Webb said: "There is clear evidence Asbos and acceptable behaviour agreements have a role to play in creating a safer and more crime-free environment.
"They are not an end in themselves and either form part of a deterrence strategy, where the threat of them can deter people from continuing their behaviour, or are steps along a road towards punishment."
She said breaches of Asbos do have consequences, but cannot be seen in isolation.
Cllr Webb added: "They are a useful part of a strategy developed by all the partners of our Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.
"The purpose is to reduce crime and the fear of crime, and to make our borough a safer place.
"It is a fact Gravesham has seen the greatest fall in crime in Kent, with figures falling for six months in succession.
"Detection rates are rising and all the indications are positive."
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Robby T, says...
9:23am Wed 10 Jan 07
of honour.
Effectively what it means instead of having a strong police presence to
curb this behaviour and proper sanctions in place the victims of this
behaviour are effectively having to do the job of the Police. With the
risks of retribution or revenge from the perpetrators of this behaviour.
Rather than having a proper policing policy and collection a high
standard of evidence to secure a proper conviction in a court once
againit is left to aggrieved residents. I believe that new government
legislation now will enable local residents associations to be involved
in enforcing ASBO's. This is good in theory if you have a strong and
proactive setup but would still probably have implications for the
perpetrators in terms of human rights legislation or conversly could be
used to their advantage by their lawyers.
RE my post about the drugs raids. What and ASBO or Acceptable Behaviur
Order also means is that once again a treasure chest of resources is
unlocked for these miscreants, that that the Law Abiding cannot hope to
access!(A recent article in the Guardian before Xmas estimates that some
of the hardcore problem families in a year with say social work and multi
agency intervention have up to £250K a year spent on them, so it pays to
be "Bad"!).
I have recently attended several Hive Residents Association "Focus Group"
Oops, sorry for being somewhat cynical.meeting and come away thinking
what a total waste of time. The meetings are really a platform for our
local councillors to grandstand and micro-manage this setup. The council
officials that attend are always on the defensive and countinously pass
the buck to the local police that have insufficient resources. I believe
the Northfleet ward (Cllr Colin Meredith) has one beat officer and one
community support officer for 32000 residents!!
A really crass move recently that upset residents in Ebbsfleet Walk was
the issueing of a Noise Harrassment circular to all the residents by the
Area Housing Officer. These notices at first light appeared to be to
individual residents (individual surnames). Rather than targeting the
real targets. I wrote to the housing officer and emailed on two
occasions. When I challenged this at the residents association meeting I
was talked down, I offered her copies of the correspondence these were
not accepted. She said her superior would deal with this issue, how
absolutely cowardly because this official actioned the letters. At the
end of the meeting I approached the chair with coppies and asked if he
coul address the issue. This was on 11/12/06 still no reply?
They ask at these meetings for active tenant participation and still need
committee members it's no wonder people don't wish to get involved!!