What is Anti-Social Behaviour?

Anti-Social Behaviour is behaviour which disturbs others and destroys the peace and quiet of a neighbourhood.

It can be caused by groups of people shouting, causing nuisance and tormenting others. Nuisance behaviour can be loud music, litter, graffiti, threatening people in the street or at their home, and even loud pets can be considered anti-social.

Anti-Social Behaviour can make a community unpleasant to live in.

The problem is being tackled by a number of laws which aim to stamp anti-social behaviour out.

What's an ASBO?

An anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) can be given to anyone over the age of 10 who has committed a number of anti-social offences. They are orders from the court that ban an offender from doing threatening things, hanging out in certain areas or spending time with certain people.

What's an ABC?

An acceptable behaviour contract (ABC) is given to someone if the police or local authority has evidence that their behaviour is damaging their community. It can be given to anyone, no matter how old they are.

It is a voluntary, written agreement, which means that it's not given out by the courts and it won't appear on a criminal record. It lists a number of things that the person in question can no longer do, such as spending time in certain areas with certain people.

visit Safer St.Helens for more information about Anti-Social Behaviour.