Anti-social behaviour

The term anti-social behaviour can relate to a range of activities from serious criminal activity to environmental nuisance. It is a broad term used to describe the day-to-day incidents of crime, nuisance and disorder that make many people’s lives a misery – from litter and vandalism, to public drunkenness or aggressive dogs, to noisy or abusive neighbours.  People have different thresholds and what one person considers unacceptable behaviour may be tolerable to another.

Anti-social behaviour is defined in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 as being:

1. conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm, or distress to any person 
2. conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person’s occupation or residential premises or 
3. conduct capable of causing housing-related nuisance or annoyance to any person

This is also the definition used in Warwickshire Police’s anti-social behaviour policy and by district and borough councils.

In addition to the definition above, partners in Warwickshire divide reports of anti-social behaviour into three categories to assist in monitoring incidents. 

• Environmental ASB – incidents where the ASB impacts the surroundings including natural, built and social environments
• Nuisance ASB – incidents where the ASB affects the local community in general rather than an individual victims
• Personal ASB – incidents deliberately targeted at a specific individual or group