Anti-Social Behaviour
What is anti-social behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour is any behaviour that causes harassment, alarm or distress to a member or members of the public. While County Durham and Darlington are safe places to live with low levels of serious crime, anti-social behaviour continues to disrupt the lives of far too many residents.
There are many different types of anti-social behaviour, some are dealt with by police, some dealt with by your local council, and some dealt with by other agencies.
You may feel like you have nowhere to turn for help. You may have reported the incidents, but no-one seems to be doing anything and no-one is listening, but the anti-social behaviour is continuing.
Don't Suffer In Silence
Responding to and tackling anti-social behaviour incidents are a top priority for partners and police across County Durham and Darlington.
We have strong procedures which allow the police, councils, housing providers, health providers, other organisations, and communities to work in partnership with each other to tackle anti-social behaviour incidents.
Act Now!' - our interactive tool that seeks to guide you through a series of questions to show you who you should contact to report the anti-social behaviour you are experiencing.
Click the button below to be directed to the Durham Police & Crime Commissioner website to complete the Act Now form
ASB Review
We want to make sure we get it right first time but recognise that sometimes we don’t.
Please see information about the ASB review on the Durham PCC's website ASB Review page
Contact the officer, or their immediate manager/supervisor, that is dealing with your incident and discuss the problems that you are continuing to experience. They should be able to provide an update and discuss action being taken to resolve your incident. If you do not know the contact details of the person dealing with your incident, you should contact the agency you have reported your incident to and ask to be put through to relevant department or line manager who is dealing with your case. The agency should be able to trace your incident report to get you to the right person.
If you wish to complain about the service that you have received or are dissatisfied with how your anti-social behaviour incident/ complaint has been dealt with, you can do so through that agency’s complaint procedure. Upon submitting a complaint, you will receive an acknowledgement within 5 working days.
The complaint will be reviewed by a line manager of the person(s) or department from the organisation who dealt with the reports that you are complaining about.
The line manager will contact you within 10 working days to discuss how to resolve your complaint within an agreed timescale.
On conclusion of any actions to be taken, you will be updated as to the outcome of your complaint and will receive written notification within 5 working days together with details on how to lodge an appeal if you remain dissatisfied.
The Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review gives victims and communities the right to request a review of their case where the local threshold is met. The local threshold has been agreed by the local Community Safety Partnerships and has been designed to give you, the victim, the right to demand that agencies deal with persistent anti-social behaviour.
If you have previously reported three (or more) incidents of anti-social behaviour within the last six months and the anti-social behaviour continues, you can request a case review.
Upon receipt of a case review request, the case will be reviewed within 5 working days to determine the number of qualifying complaints. You or your nominated representative will be informed of the outcome within 10 working days.
If the local threshold is not met, consideration will be given to the persistency of the anti-social behaviour, the harm or potential harm caused, and the adequacy of the response from the agencies. If your case is considered high risk, you may also qualify for a case review.
In County Durham and Darlington, Anti-Social Behaviour Case Reviews are co-ordinated by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner who will:
- Acknowledge receipt of your Case Review request
- Contact you to discuss your case and obtain further information
- Liaise with the relevant Community Safety Partnerships
- Share information with agencies who are responsible for managing anti-social behaviour
- Record and publish relevant data relating to Anti-Social Behaviour Case Reviews
If the threshold is met, you will be offered support from the Community Peer Mentors, who will be able to guide you through the process.
An Independent Chair will be appointed to lead a multi-agency case review which will be held within 10 working days after confirmation of the threshold being met. The case review will bring together relevant agencies to take a joined up, problem-solving approach to find a solution. They will share relevant information related to your case, review what action has been previously taken and decide further actions and timescales.
You or your representative will be given the opportunity to attend the opening section of the case review meeting to express your wishes as to what you would like to happen and to ensure all members of the panel understand the level of harm and impact. Alternatively, if you are unable or do not wish to attend the case review you can provide a written statement which will be read out.
Following the meeting an action plan will be produced (including timescales) and you will be provided with a written copy, within 5 working days.
If you remain dissatisfied, you will have up to 14 days following the completion of your action plan in which to appeal.
How to request an anti-social behaviour case review
If you think you meet the threshold for the Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review, you can request a case review in the following ways:
By email: victimcare@durham-pcc.gov.uk
By phone: 0191 3752001
By Post: Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review, Victim Care & Mentor Service PO Box 450 DURHAM DH1 5WP
FAQs
Please browse our FAQs below, and get in touch if you have any further questions.
We promise that all information you provide to us ‐ verbally or in writing ‐ will be kept confidential within the Victim Care and Advice Service.
This information will not be shared externally unless you expressly instruct us to do so or unless we are required to under law. We will take our time to establish the best way to communicate with you; for example, which email address, phone number or other contact method you want us to use.
We will take any other steps that you need us to take to protect your privacy.
The Victim Care and Advice Service is not a counselling service however following our needs assessment with you, if counselling is required then we can arrange for you to be referred to a counselling service.
There is no cost, the service is free and confidential
You are not legally bound to report your crime to the police however, investigating crimes, catching criminals and protecting the community is the police’s main job, but they also help victims and witnesses of crime.
Even if you do not report a crime as the victim, someone who saw what happened might do, so it’s likely that you will have to talk to police after a crime.
Want To Know More?
Get in touch with our team to find out how we can help you.