Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour
From a safe distance, anti-social behaviour might not seem serious.
But if it's your home or your street, it can leave you feeling intimidated, angry and frightened. It can ruin lives and make whole areas feel unsafe.
It totally destroyed any happiness we had in the home for a long time.
- A victim of anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour almost always starts small. Over time, the little incidents add up. The behaviour gets more serious. Things that were just a nuisance to begin with can become threatening or dangerous.
So don't wait. Report it. Together, we can stop it.
Is it happening in your street?
Examples of behaviours that are generally not considered anti-social include children playing, everyday noise from washing machines and lawn mowers, and noise from DIY projects (unless they are carried out at an unreasonable time of night or day).
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) includes:
• Threatening or 'yobbish' behaviour
• Gangs 'hanging around'
• Abusive, rowdy or noisy neighbours
• People buying or selling drugs
• Drinking in the street, aggressive begging
• Night time noise from houses or gardens
• Setting off fireworks late at night
• Graffiti and fly-posting
• Vandalism
• Cars abandoned on the street
• Litter and fly-tipping
• Any other behaviour that disturbs or scares you
Some of these may be one-off events; others may happen repeatedly, so the effects add up over time.
We will take it seriously…
There is an anti-social behaviour officer in your district, someone who is either part of Sussex Police or your local council. This person will co-ordinate the investigation into your complaint. They will link in with local Neighbourhood Policing Teams, housing providers, councils, and any other relevant agencies.
Report it. Together we can stop it
In an emergency, call 999 immediately. It's an emergency:
- If life is threatened
- If people are injured
- If offenders are nearby
- If immediate action is required
What else can you do?
- Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme or a tenants' or residents' association
- Attend a monthly meeting with your Neighbourhood Policing Team
- Discuss any issues with your local councillor, who can act on your behalf to raise concerns with the council and other organisations.
- Become a volunteer for Victim Support
- Become a Special Constable
By playing an active role in your community you really can help make a difference.
Help make yours a neighbourhood where anti-social behaviour is tackled, not tolerated.
More about Anti Social Behaviour
Anti-social behaviour has a wide legal definition. In relation to anti social behaviour orders, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 section 1 (1) (a) defines it as: 'acting in a manner that caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as himself, and that such an order is necessary to protect relevant persons from further anti-social acts by that person'. Examples include harassment, graffiti, assault, being drunk and disorderly, drug dealing, verbal abuse and noise.