Anti Social Behaviour and CANAcT

What is Anti Social Behaviour?

Anti social behaviour is defined as;

"Acting in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as themselves" (Crime and Disorder Act 1998)
"Conduct causing or likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to a person residing, visiting or otherwise engaged in a lawful activity in the locality" (Housing Act 1996)

What is CANAcT?

Crime And Nuisance Action Team were formed in November 2001 in the light of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, with a specific remit to address issues of anti social behaviour within the community.

What does CANAcT do?

CANAcT are an investigative team with an aim to preventing anti social behaviour through support and enforcement.

CANAcT officers:

actively tackle anti-social behaviour
offer support to families and witnesses
provide links with other agencies in tackling crime and nuisance behaviour

Working With Partners

CANAcT work with a variety of organisations to tackle anti-social behaviour including the police, schools, mediation services, youth services, social services, fire and rescue service, mental health teams, multiple needs teams and housing associations.

Prevention

To prevent anti-social behaviour CANAcT works with schools, the Youth Service and the Youth Offending teams. It has also worked with informal groups of young people and the Junior Street Wardens.

CANAcT also helped to develop the Positive Activities for Young People programme.

Enforcement

CANAcT has achieved successes in enforcement, including Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), Anti-social Behaviour Injunctions (ASBIs) and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs).

CANAcT has also contributed to possession actions working with housing providers in many cases.

CANAcT recognises that enforcement action is not always the best course of action, and that other solutions, through early intervention, are often the most effective.