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Turn tables on thugs, police told Harass young thugs, police urged
(about 2 hours later)
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is urging police to target youths who ignore warnings about anti-social behaviour. Youths who persistently misbehave and intimidate others in their communities should be harassed themselves, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said.
She said she intended to "turn the tables" on those who were harassing other people on a regular basis. She said she wanted police to "turn the tables" on those who were violent and disruptive and who would not "live by the rules that the rest of us do".
And she wants repeated visits, checks and warnings for people "who persistently aren't willing to live by the rules that the rest of us do". This could include repeated home visits and checks to identify benefit fraud or council and road tax non-payment.
There could be "no excuse for inaction" while people lived in fear, she added.
Meanwhile, statistics are expected to show fewer anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) are being issued.Meanwhile, statistics are expected to show fewer anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) are being issued.
The Home Office believes that the fall could be down to the wider use of "early intervention" procedures by local authorities, police and magistrates.The Home Office believes that the fall could be down to the wider use of "early intervention" procedures by local authorities, police and magistrates.
These include acceptable behaviour contracts, parenting orders and individual support orders which aim to encourage better behaviour.These include acceptable behaviour contracts, parenting orders and individual support orders which aim to encourage better behaviour.
'Early intervention''Early intervention'
Ms Smith, speaking in Westminster to an audience of professionals who deal with anti-social behaviour, will announce £250,000 to fund an Action Squad which will encourage areas to better use such measures. Ms Smith, speaking in Westminster to an audience of professionals who deal with anti-social behaviour, announced £250,000 to fund an "action squad" which will encourage areas to better use such measures.
Home Office figures suggest that two-thirds of those involved in anti-social behaviour - including vandalism, threatening behaviour and street drinking - abandon it after their first warning.Home Office figures suggest that two-thirds of those involved in anti-social behaviour - including vandalism, threatening behaviour and street drinking - abandon it after their first warning.
But Ms Smith will say 7% of individuals continue misbehaving even after three encounters with the authorities and that police should be paying particular attention to these repeat offenders. But 7% of individuals continued misbehaving even after three encounters with the authorities - "still too many", Ms Smith said - and police should be paying particular attention to these repeat offenders.
The people who are being harassed are those people who want to live quietly in their communities and their streets Jacqui SmithHome SecretaryThe people who are being harassed are those people who want to live quietly in their communities and their streets Jacqui SmithHome Secretary
Their road tax, car insurance, TV licence and council tax payments should also be checked, she will add. Their road tax, car insurance, TV licence and council tax payments should also be checked, she added add.
The government wanted to ensure "that those people who want to live quietly and orderly in their communities, as the vast majority of us do, actually feel like they're in the majority", Ms Smith said ahead of the speech. "That car of theirs: is the tax up to date? Is it insured? Let's find out.
"The people who are being harassed are those people who want to live quietly in their communities and their streets," she told the BBC News Channel. "And have they got a TV licence for that plasma screen? As the advert says, it's all on the database.
They "have to put up, from a very small minority, with the sort of behaviour that none of us should have to put up with", she added. "And as for the council tax, it shouldn't be difficult to check whether or not that's been paid. And what about benefit fraud? Can we run a check?
"Let's turn the tables on those people." "If persistent offenders know that they'll be able to get away with it, then they will, by definition, persistently offend," Ms Smith said. "They will try it on again and again.
It was important that "those who disrupt them are the ones that are facing the difficulties, and where we're focusing our attention", she added. "We need to send them a strong message that we're not having it, there's no room for that sort of behaviour in our communities and that there are tough sanctions for it."
Police intelligencePolice intelligence
The home secretary will urge forces across the country to follow the example of Essex Police, who have mounted an operation to target those who repeatedly cause problems. She also called for greater help for parents "who struggle to keep their kids under control" and an automatic requirement for courts to consider granting a parenting order - aimed at parents who would not cooperate - whenever they issued an Asbo to a young person.
Ahead of her speech, Ms Smith had said the government wanted to ensure "that those people who want to live quietly and orderly in their communities, as the vast majority of us do, actually feel like they're in the majority".
Figures are expected to show a fall in the number of Asbos issued
"The people who are being harassed are those people who want to live quietly in their communities and their streets," she told the BBC News Channel.
The home secretary urged forces across the country to follow the example of Essex Police, who have mounted an operation to target those who repeatedly cause problems.
They used local intelligence to identify offenders, knocked on their doors and warned them their behaviour would not be tolerated.They used local intelligence to identify offenders, knocked on their doors and warned them their behaviour would not be tolerated.
They then photographed and questioned them and their friends over the next few days.They then photographed and questioned them and their friends over the next few days.
Officers reported "dramatic" results from the new approach.Officers reported "dramatic" results from the new approach.
On one estate, burglaries, criminal damage and car crime stopped altogether during the operation and remained at a low level afterwards.On one estate, burglaries, criminal damage and car crime stopped altogether during the operation and remained at a low level afterwards.