NOISY neighbours face being thrown out of their homes under plans announced yesterday to extend the powers used to close “crack dens”.
In a move designed to cover antisocial behaviour in all premises, police would be able to move against the owners of private and rented accommodation where there were complaints of excessive noise, rowdy behaviour, prostitution, disorder linked to alchohol and an increase in crime.
Officers would be able to apply for the premises, residential and commercial, to be closed within 48 hours for an initial 3 months. The closure could be renewed for a further 3 months.
The plan is one of a series of measures proposed by John Reid, the Home Secretary, including allowing police to ban individuals from districts.
Other proposals include making parents liable for fines of up to £100 for their children’s antisocial behaviour, including dropping litter.
Mr Reid wants to attach a suspended fine to existing acceptable behaviour contracts, a voluntary agreement aimed at keeping unruly children under control. An £80 on-the-spot fine would be imposed to someone given a contract, but it would only be payable if the contract were broken. In the case of a child, parents would be liable to pay the fine.
He is also suggesting that children could escape a formal police warning or an on-the-spot fine for minor offences if they agreed immediately to apologise to the victim or clear up the mess.
The Home Office consultation paper published yesterday estimates that only 50 premises a year would be closed, compared with the 514 drug dens closed between January 2004 and September 2005.
The document made clear that the power would be used only as a last resort and that police would have to show that closure of premises was the best course of action.
Mr Reid said: “I want to give the police powers to close down places which are the bane of a community.”
He said that the powers could be used against premises used for raves or prostitution. Yet, this year the Home Office announced plans to allow prostitutes to work together in mini-brothels as part of a strategy to reduce the risks involved in the sex trade.
Mr Reid’s latest plans were criticised by Opposition politicans and penal reform groups. David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: “What the public expect of a Government is active enforcement of laws already in place, not more grandstanding rhetoric designed to generate headlines.”
Will McMahon, acting director of the Crime and Society Foundation said: “The Government’s approach to antisocial behaviour is fast becoming a parody of itself. There is no evidence that more antisocial behaviour laws have led to more order on the streets of Britain. The Government is simply using antisocial behaviour legislation as a populist attempt to improve confidence in a failing criminal justice system.”
Chris Stanley, head of policy and research for the crime-reduction charity Nacro, said: “There is no evidence that fining parents for their children’s anti-social behaviour will work.”
He added: “Many of the children committing antisocial behaviour come from families who are already under severe financial pressure. For them, a £100 fine will simply exacerbate their poverty and cause even more problems within the family.”
HOME OFFICE GETTING IN ON THE ACTS
Some of the 60 Bills that have cascaded from the Home Office since Tony Blair won power with the mantra “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”:
Human Rights Act Flagship measure of first term. Opponents claim that it is more sympathetic to crooks than the law-abiding majority
Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Created Antisocial Behaviour Orders
Terrorism Act 2000 Gave police power to stop and search a person or vehicle without reasonable suspicion
Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 Police given power to compulsorily drug test alleged offenders
Licensing Act 2000 Toughened powers to deal with under-age drinkers and allowed pubs to apply for 24-hour drinking. Fears that it would lead to a surge in violent and sexual crimes so far unfounded
Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 Power to hold foreign terrorism suspects without trial. Law lords ruled it was unlawful
Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 Fixed-penalty notices for a range of minor offences such as littering, throwing fireworks and making hoax 999 calls
Police Reform Act 2002 Created Community Support Officers, the civilian patrol staff designed to deal with low-level crime and meet public desire for more bobbies on the beat
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Authorities use the civil courts to confiscate criminals’ assets even if they have not been convicted. Failed to meet limited targets
Criminal Justice Act 2003 New minimum terms for murderers and a complete overhaul of sentencing. Complex system has left public confused
Sexual Offences Act 2003 Toughened laws on child sex abuse and brought in new definition of rape. Little evidence changes are increasing conviction rate
Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 Set up Serious Organised Crime Agency, the British answer to the FBI. Too early to say whether it is effective or not
Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 Established control orders, a loose form of house arrest, for terrorist suspects
