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Abstract
Anti-social behaviour remains high on local and national policy agendas, and is a major area of concern for policy makers, local authorities, housing providers and communities. The Shelter Inclusion Project was set up in Rochdale in 2002 to develop an innovative model of floating support for households that are having difficulty complying with their tenancy agreements because of reported anti-social behaviour, or who are homeless as a result. The three-year pilot project (October 2002 to October 2005) is being evaluated by the Centre for Housing Policy, University of York. Interim findings (at September 2004) suggest that the project has made a positive impact on addressing anti-social behaviour for its service users; most people are still in their same tenancy and anti-social behaviour actions have ceased for those leaving the service.
Anti-social behaviour: policy context
Anti-social behaviour has been a major area of concern for governments and housing and community managers since the mid-1990s, and continues to be regarded as a widespread problem in all parts of the UK, affecting individuals, communities and whole estates and areas. Recently, the Home Office Strategic Plan 2004-2008 (Home Office, 2004, p47) described the consequences of anti-social behaviour, stating that:
Graffiti, rowdy behaviour and vandalism, and threatening or noisy neighbours can seriously diminish the quality of life for individuals and whole communities. They undermine confidence in the law and public services and reduce the willingness of law-abiding citizens to defend and encourage reasonable standards of behaviour in their neighbourhoods.
Since 1998, a host of legislative and policy changes have extended the powers of the police, the courts, social landlords and local authorities. More recently, the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 introduced a range of new measures for dealing with anti-social behaviour, including:
* a requirement on landlords to produce anti-social behaviour policies
* extending the range of bodies that can apply for anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs)
* amendment of the 1985 Housing Act to allow tenancies to be demoted on the grounds of anti-social behaviour
* giving the police powers to designate curfew areas and extending penalty notices to 16 and 17 year olds.
Further, in 2004, the Government announced plans to extend the role of parish councils in tackling anti-social behaviour and to give civil courts new powers...