Anti-social behaviour: Developing a better understanding of harm

• In Event: Routine Activities and Risk at Crime Places

Abstract

In a climate of diminishing budgets, falling police officer numbers and a growing number of calls related to public safety and welfare, senior police officers have highlighted the need to manage crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) differently. ASB is defined as: “conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person”.

This paper will identify the individuals, households and areas most likely to be seriously affected by ASB using data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales and hierarchical statistical modelling. It will discuss current practice and theoretical foundations as well as present risk and harm profiles by ASB type. It will also explore the relationship between ASB types and crime victimisation. The findings can be used to assess more accurately vulnerability and reduce future victimisation risk and harm.

This work is carried out as part of a regional collaboration of police forces and academics in England (known as the East Midlands Policing Academic Collaboration or EMPAC) and is funded by the College of Policing, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Home Office Police Knowledge Fund.

Authors

• Rebecca Thompson, Nottingham Trent University

• Andromachi Tseloni, Nottingham Trent University