Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, has welcomed the announcement of new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour in Sussex, as part of the new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan to make sure that people feel safer in their communities and perpetrators face swift and visible justice.
Backed by around £50 million, the Immediate Justice scheme will start in 10 initial trailblazer police force areas and be rolled out nationally in 2024..
This new approach will seek to divert offenders away from the criminal justice system. Instead, offenders committing anti-social behaviour will be made to repair the damage they inflicted on victims and communities, with an ambition for them to start work as soon as 48 hours after their offence.
Under the new Action Plan, offenders will be made to wear high-vis vests or jumpsuits to pick up litter, remove graffiti and wash police cars as punishment. Victims of anti-social behaviour from the local community will be given a say in offenders’ punishments to ensure justice is visible and fits the crime.
Stronger punishments will also be handed out to those who graffiti, litter or fly tip, with increased fines of up to £500 and £1,000.
Police will also be given new powers to crack down on illegal drug use with expanded powers for drug testing on arrest, so more suspected criminals can be tested.
Nusrat Ghani said: "We are extremely lucky that Wealden continues to be a safe place to live with consistently low levels of crime. However, rare incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour do occur and I welcome the Government’s plan to introduce cracking down on offenders with swifter and more visible justice, so that Wealden residents can continue to feel safe in and be proud of their local area."
The Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan sets out a radical new approach to tackling anti-social behaviour split across five key areas:
- Stronger punishment for perpetrators, cracking down on illegal drugs, evicting anti-social tenants and making perpetrators of anti-social behaviour repair the damage they inflicted on victims and communities;
- Making communities safer by increasing police presence, deploying tougher financial penalties for wrong doers, and keeping our streets orderly;
- Enhancing local pride by taking actions to revive high streets and revitalise parks and green spaces;
- Prevention and intervention through funding one million more hours of provision for young people, expanding the eligibility criteria for the Turnaround Programme, focusing on targeted support for children most at risk and working with delivery partners on National Youth Guarantee;
- Improving data, reporting and accountability by simplifying and improving existing reporting structures and increased accountability through better and more transparent data collection.
