Councils and housing associations were criticised this week for their perceived failure to tackle antisocial behaviour.
The Audit Commission and Sir Ian Blair, one of the country's most senior policemen, both demanded more effective action.

An Audit Commission report released on Tuesday urged local authorities and crime and disorder reduction partnerships to give greater priority to the needs of those affected by low-level crime.

Victims and Witnesses: Providing Better Support said that two out of five witnesses would not be prepared to go through the evidence-giving process again in similar circumstances.

Jeanette York, senior manager of the commission's criminal justice team, said councils were unaware of the "potential for combining resources and working more closely with other criminal justice agencies".

She also called for ringfenced budgets dedicated to witness protection, and for councils' performance in support provision to be incorporated into the next comprehensive performance assessment.

In an interview with Housing Today Sir Ian Blair, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, called on housing associations to do more to help the police battle antisocial behaviour.

He described associations' performance as "patchy", and said a concerted effort was needed from associations to win a place on local crime reduction partnerships. He said: "There's a responsibility on housing people to say 'let's go and join in'.

"If you're just going to sit there and say 'we want somebody to do this for us,' then you may not be quite so welcome."

Source

Housing Today