Is it time for a new dialogue on ASB?

The Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN) is the national forum for officers who are responsible for the strategic development of community safety at both local and national level, in the private, public and voluntary sector. We are the strategic voice for community safety in Scotland and through working collaboratively with our members and partner agencies, we champion community safety and influence the shaping and development of national policy and local delivery.

Antisocial behaviour can be an issue that affects communities across Scotland and the subject of complaints to local elected members and MSPs. We know through our networks that preventing and resolving antisocial behaviour is a core focus for community safety practitioners and safer communities partnerships.

Antisocial Behaviour (or ASB) can mean anything from noise and neighbour disputes to vehicles being driven antisocially, to environmental issues such as littering and fly-tipping and graffiti. In Scotland we have the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004 and the 2009 guidance ‘Promoting Positive Outcomes: Working together to prevent ASB in Scotland’ to help prevent and resolve ASB.

We know from discussions with our partners that a spotlight on this policy issue would be welcome, and we are keen to have a different dialogue about antisocial behaviour.

We have some questions:

Q. Why do we still talk about antisocial behaviours when Scotland has an empowering, trauma informed, asset-based approach to policy?

Q. What does good look like in preventing and resolving ASB?

Q. How do we move the discourse to using more positive language about behaviour and have strengths-based conversations?

We think that the 2020 Firestarter Festival “What Kind of Scotland are we seeking to build?” is a great vehicle for this conversation, and embodies the creative, disruptive and innovative approaches we want to include in this dialogue.

So, do you have a view on Antisocial behaviour? Be it conventional; challenging; creative; supportive; whatever – we want to hear it.

We intend holding a conversation in February – contact our National Development Officer if you want to be part of it: hannah.dickson@scsn.org.uk.