Respect Orders will tackle the scourge of antisocial behaviour across Yorkshire - Sarah Jones
Walk down any high street and ask people what worries them, anti-social behaviour will come up again and again. The individuals and groups causing chaos outside shops, the harassment that makes someone dread walking home, the noise that never seems to stop.
I've heard too many stories from people who have endured years of intimidation and harassment, tried endlessly to report it to the authorities, only for it to fall on seemingly deaf ears. But anti-social behaviour is not nothing. For the person living with it, it can be relentless and make daily life a misery. It’s far time it was dealt with appropriately.
This Government came in on a manifesto commitment to bring in stronger powers to deal with anti-social behaviour.
From this week, in every neighbourhood across England and Wales, perpetrators of anti-social behaviour could be hit with tougher restrictions as our new Respect Orders come into force.
Dished out by the courts, a Respect Order could see offenders banned from the public spaces they blight, stopped from drinking in high streets and parks, or made subject to a curfew and a Respect Order can stay in place for as long as the courts deem necessary.
A wide range of authorities can apply for a Respect Order, including landlords of housing associations and transport networks, in addition to police and local councils.
Respect Orders can also have conditions to compel someone to seek support, whether that's through drug or alcohol treatment or anger management courses, helping to tackle the causes of their offending, and actually stop the cycle of crime.
Breaching a Respect Order is a criminal offence with serious consequences. It could see the person arrested and hauled right back to the courts for further punishment. They could even face a prison sentence of up to two years in the worst cases.
Crucially, police will be able to identify breaches and act quickly. Orders will be recorded on the Police National Computer, allowing officers to check whether an order is in place, see its conditions and arrest anyone breaching them.
These aren’t just words. We’re supporting police in a range of ways to make Respect Orders a success and deliver for the people in Yorkshire.
There has been an increase of £66.1m investment into policing in the Yorkshire and Humberside region compared to last year.
Every police force now has a lead officer for anti-social behaviour, giving residents and local businesses a dedicated point of contact. We have also set a clear expectation to police forces that they must respond to neighbourhood queries within 72 hours.
And we've given officers stronger powers for police to more easily seize and destroy vehicles used for anti-social behaviour, including dangerous e-bikes and e-scooters.
We're making good progress. Theft from a person and burglary are down 17 per cent and 11 per cent respectively in the Yorkshire and Humberside region in the past year, but we won’t stop there.
We are reforming the policing system and making some of the biggest changes in two centuries to make policing more effective and responsive to local needs.
Our town centres and neighbourhoods belong to the decent, hard-working majority. To those who make life miserable for other Yorkshire residents, our message is clear: clean up your act or face the consequences.
Sarah Jones is the Minister for Crime and Policing.