PCC unveils new tool to help victims take a stand against ASB.

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has unveiled a powerful new tool to help victims of persistent anti-social behaviour demand urgent support for their problems.

In creating safer communities, tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) has been a top priority for all partners across the Safe Durham Partnership and Darlington Community Safety Partnership.

The ASB Case Review scheme (previously known as the Community Trigger) is part of a new partnership wide three-step resolution process aimed at stopping anti-social behaviour.  It gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour the right to attend a case review and give details of the impact the ASB is having on their lives.  The process sets out the difference between a complaint about the service received from a partner agency and those repeat incidents that meet the case review threshold.  ASB victims now have the opportunity to attend the case review in person or provide statements of the harm they have endured.

The Commissioner, whose office coordinates ASB Case Reviews in the force area, goes one step further and is believed to be the only PCC in the country to also offer victims the right to an independent appeal following the case review process.  This forms part of her commitment to putting victims of crime first and amplifying their voice within the criminal justice system.  

Victims of ASB can request a Case Review if they have previously reported three (or more) incidents of ASB to any of the partner agencies within the last six months and the ASB continues.

An Independent Chair will then be appointed to lead a multi-agency Case Review bringing together all relevant agencies to take a joined-up, problem-solving approach and agree a solution. This will involve sharing information about the case, reviewing what action has previously been taken and deciding further actions and timescales.  

Whilst there is no National Funding available to support victims of ASB, the Commissioner has committed funding to enable victims to be offered support throughout the process from the Commissioner’s award-winning Community Peer Mentor team, where the threshold is met.

The PCC has prioritised support for victims of crime in her Police and Crime Plan and has undertaken a huge volume of work to improve services for victims of ASB specifically. This includes becoming the first PCC in the country to appoint an Anti-Social Behaviour Champion to support victims and lead vital research into the victim’s journey throughout the justice system.  

Commissioner Allen said: “I am so proud to launch our ASB Case Review scheme which has been driven by victims for victims to ensure every possible action is taken to listen and respond robustly to their problems. This new tool is very much a team effort, and I am grateful to our partners, and for ASB victims themselves, for sharing their experiences and expertise in the design process.

“My ASB Champion and policy team have helped to spearhead the work with partners on my behalf to ensure victims at the centre of the case review process.  Victims of crime and ASB are at the heart of everything I do as Commissioner. I will not tolerate the torment and suffering ASB offenders inflict on our communities and on victims. All agencies are united in confronting these issues head-on and doing whatever it takes to relieve residents of these deeply distressing problems.

“The Case Review scheme is part of a whole package of measures to take a hardline approach to ASB and we will be using it to maximum effect.”

Last year saw the introduction of a new partnership wide joint ASB Strategy and the PCC funded with partners an overhaul of the way ASB awareness is publicised to ensure residents know exactly where and with whom to turn to for help.  

PCC Allen unveiled a series of dedicated information pages on her website to help anyone impacted by ASB and launched the ‘Don’t Suffer In Silence’ media campaign, signposting people to the new resources where they can relevant access relevant support and report ASB to the appropriate agency whether the police, a local council or a housing provider. The campaign also aimed to reduce the number of inappropriate calls to the force by making the system for reporting ASB clearer.

The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said: “I welcome the Durham ASB Case Review and Appeals Process and the commitment to victims of anti-social behaviour that this process demonstrates.

“It is so important victims of anti-social behaviour receive the support and recognition that they deserve. They need to have a voice and they deserve a fair hearing.

“I’ve long championed greater victim recognition and participation in the resolution process. The inclusion of an independent chair and panel is a welcome step. It will give victims the belief their voices are being heard and it will encourage other victims to come forward and report. This initiative reflects the recommendations outlined in my 2019 report, Living a Nightmare and I will be taking a very close interest in how victims respond.”

Anti-social behaviour can have a devastating impact on lives, yet all too often it is dismissed as “low level” harm, leaving victims to feel they are having to struggle on their own. Durham’s innovative process can serve as a model and I hope others will follow, ensuring victims are placed at the centre of the process, where they rightfully belong.

More information on the Case Review scheme is available at: https://www.durham-pcc.gov.uk/asb-case-review . If you think you meet the threshold for the Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review, you can request a case review by completing a form on the PCC’s website. Alternatively, you can email: General.EnquiriesPCC@durham-pcc.gov.uk, call: 0191 3752001 or write to:

Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review

Durham Police & Crime Commissioner’s Office

Police Headquarters

Aykley Heads

Durham

DH1 5TT

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