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Eight point plan to define the rights of antisocial behaviour victims    

Organisations across Cleveland are currently working on a charter to set minimum standards of service for victims of antisocial behaviour (ASB.) 

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey is leading discussions on the charter. It aims to protect residents’ right to feel safe in their own homes and communities. 

The charter will bring together a range of organisations – including local authorities, police and housing associations. 

It is designed as a commitment to work more closely and to make sure the victim’s voice is at the heart of everything they do. It will also set out the level of service victims can expect when they report ASB incidents. 

The charter will be similar to the national Victims Code of Practice – but the Cleveland charter will go further. It will cover victims of ASB, which the current Code of Practice does not. 

The PCC-funded Victim Care and Advice Service (VCAS) also offers dedicated support for victims of ASB. 

The eight point plan

The charter centres on eight key points. They are: 

  1. The right to be given information in an easy-to-understand way and for you to be provided with help, if necessary, to help organisations understand you. 
  1. The right to have details of an incident recorded without reasonable delay  
  1. The right to be referred to support services – and to have services tailored to your needs   
  1. The right to be given information about any investigation or prosecution. Cases will be assessed when received. Cases, which carry the greatest risk of harm, will be picked up more quickly. 
  1. The right to make a Victim Impact Statement to explain how incidents have affected you. The Statement will be considered by a judge or magistrates when sentencing. It will also help service providers consider what extra support you may need.  
  1. The right to be given information about the outcome of the case and any appeals. At the end of the case, you have the right to be told the outcome and given a summary of reasons for the decision, if available. 
  1. The right to complain if your rights are not being met 
  1. The right to ask for an Antisocial Behaviour Case Review. You can do this if you have reported the same ASB issue at least three times within the past six months. 

ASB Misery

GRASS ROOTS CONCERNS…..Cleveland PCC Matt Storey, centre, discusses residents concerns in Middlesbrough with a street warden

Cleveland PCC Matt Storey said: “Time and again I hear the misery that ASB causes people in our communities across Cleveland. 

“ASB can be just as damaging and traumatic as crime and I have met with many victims of ASB who have told me first-hand about how it has affected them and their families. 

“ASB incidents leave people feeling scared, vulnerable and threatened in the very places they should feel most at ease and protected – in their own homes and communities. 

“We need to show our communities that bad behaviour will not be tolerated and we will work together to get rid of ASB across Cleveland.” 

ASB is repeatedly among the public’s top concerns when surveyed by Cleveland Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.