Wales: Anti-social behaviour

Elin Cadifor Political Unit BBC Cymru Wales

Anti-social behaviour is an issue that has concerned Labour for years, the 1997 manifesto stated that there would be a "zero tolerance" approach to petty criminality.

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant is launching enquiry

Earlier this month police were given new powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act to target vandals, drug dealers and others who make life a misery for law-abiding residents.

Now a Welsh Labour MP is launching a select committee style inquiry into anti-social behaviour in his constituency.

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant will chair a panel of members of the public, ranging from local business people to representatives of tenants associations and school pupils.

They will hold public meetings and take evidence from witnesses in order to assess the scale of anti-social behaviour in the area, and look at ways of tackling it. Mr Bryant said;

I am trying to do politics in a slightly different way. I'm saying that it should not just be about MPs standing up in parliament, or about councillors standing up in the council chambers.

It should be about ordinary people on a completely apolitical panel coming up with solutions that work and if there is one thing that's plagued the Rhondda in the past is that all the different organisations have not necessarily worked together as well as they could do.

ASBO inquiry

Police target vandals, drug dealers and others who make life a misery

The inquiry will look at the use of anti social behaviour orders. ASBO's as they are called came into force in April 1999.

The police in conjunction with local authorities can make an application for such an order to a magistrate's court.

They have become a favoured tool in cracking down on young criminals.

Residents in Trebanog believe that not enough ASBOs have been implemented on their estate.

One woman complaining about anti-social behaviour was too afraid to be identified. She said;

There is not one that has been taken out on the estate here.

If the ASBOs were taken out, then you would be taking away some of the problems, but until the ASBOs start working the problems are going to get bigger and bigger; drugs, drink, youths hanging around, loud music, abandoned cars, cars being set on fire.

They are the main issues ...

Is anti-social behaviour more of a problem in Rhondda ?

Plaid Cymru-controlled Rhondda Cynon Taff Council says that the problem is no worse in Rhondda than any other local authority area, and that they and the police and other organisations involved have many measures in place to tackle the issue.

76% of young people who completed the programme did not re-offend

The Rhondda Cynon Taff Youth Offending Team is the only one in Wales to take part in a pilot scheme in schools where victims of crime meet the perpetrators in a restorative justice programme.

The pilot will be rolled out to other secondary schools over the next two years in the authority with funding from the National Assembly.

Young people who offend or who are at risk of offending are also offered the chance to go on residential adventure courses run by the Royal Regiment of Wales, as part of a partnership with the local Youth Offending Team.

According to NACRO Cymru, 76% of young people who completed the programme didn't go on to re-offend.

That is the Politics Show Sunday 01 February at Midday.

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