Community Trigger workshop with Merseyside PCC - 23/06/21
Helping victims of ASB to get the right response
More than 30 community safety organisations will receive training today to ensure victims of anti-social behaviour get the right response, thanks to the region’s Police Commissioner.
Emily Spurrell has united with charity ASB Help to run the online workshop today (Wednesday 23rd June) which aims to increase awareness and understanding of the ‘Community Trigger’.
The Community Trigger, also known as the ASB Case Review, was introduced in 2014. It is a legal tool which gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour the right to demand that local agencies review their response.
A member of the public can request a Community Trigger from their local council if they have reported three incidents of anti-social behaviour in the preceding six months, and they feel further action is needed to resolve their case. Anyone can activate the community trigger, including practitioners, with the consent of the victim.
Once a Community Trigger is activated, the local council must notify the other organisations involved, including the police, local health teams and registered providers of social housing, and hold a multi-agency case review, which sees all the various agencies come together to identify actions that can be taken to resolve the case.
If a victim is not happy with the response, they can appeal to the Police Commissioner who will examine the case review and may ask the agencies to conduct a further review of their case.
Today’s virtual training will be led by ASB Help’s Chief Executive Rebecca Brown, and is due to be attended by 33 representatives from partner organisations, including each of the region’s five Local Authority community safety partnerships, Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue and a host of housing associations and community organisations.
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “The Community Trigger was brought in seven years ago to give victims of persistent ASB who feel nothing is being done and no-one is listening, the chance to get answers.
“Yet sadly, this important legal tool is still little known and little understood. I wanted to change that here in Merseyside, so that all the agencies involved in the process know how it should be used and feel confident promoting it to victims in their area.
“Anti-social behaviour is often, wrongly, viewed as ‘low-level’, but for victims who are repeatedly and persistently targeted it can have a hugely damaging effect, leaving people too scared to leave their front door and even afraid while they are inside their own home. It causes fear, stress, anxiety, depression. People who are subjected to this type of treatment deserve to get help and, if it isn’t forthcoming, they deserve to know why.
“I hope by running this training event today, more people will be able to come forward and get answers promptly and proactively. Crucially, I hope it will give more victims the confidence to come forward if they are suffering.”
ASB Helps’ Rebecca Brown said: “The community trigger is an essential mechanism for both victims and practitioners. It enables victims to use their voice and explain clearly the harm being caused to them and give their opinion on what a resolution would look like. For practitioners, it gives them back some control to raise the profile of a case and collaborate with community stakeholders to create an action plan to resolve it.”
Organisations were also invited to take ‘The ASB pledge’ – a six-point commitment which asks agencies to promote awareness of the Community Trigger, ensure their process is accessible and inclusive and puts the victim first
ASB Help featured in Manifesto Club Paper published today 16/06/21
The Manifesto Club has published a paper today in relation to ASB
Our CEO, Rebecca Brown features at page 30 discussing ASB and Community Protection Notices (CPN) .
http://manifestoclub.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/From-ASBOs-to-Covid-Marshals-3.pdf
Dyfed Powys Police successfully implemented their problem solving methodology OSARA to these cases which provided positive results
Dyfed Powys Police successfully implemented their problem solving methodology OSARA to these cases which provided positive results.
Case Study 418 - Closure Order
Case Study 416 - Criminal Behaviour Order
Case Study 414 - Civil Injunction
Local Government Association have launched a new series of case studies on tackling anti-social behaviour
https://asbhelp.co.uk/practitioners-hub/asb-case-review-practitioners/
Victims' Survey 2021
If you have been a victim of or reported a crime in the past three years, The Victims' Commissioner want to hear from you. The Victims’ Commissioner will use your valuable feedback to help ensure future victims receive the support and justice outcomes they need.
Results of the survey will feed into a report charting the victim experience of the criminal justice system and victims’ services in 2020.
More information on the survey and the link to the survey itself can be found here:
https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/policies/victims-survey-2021/
"Murdered by a mob" - the tragic story of Bijan Ebrahimi
https://www.channel5.com/show/murdered-by-a-mob/
Every ASB practitioner should watch this documentary urgently. ASB Help are gravely concerned to report that we are working with current vulnerable victims who are suffering similar racially aggravated anti-social behaviour to what Mr Ebrahimi did. These victims are being failed by the agencies who should be protecting them. We hope these agencies will consider the lessons this documentary offers, reflect on their conduct and take urgent steps to protect victims before another avoidable death occurs.
Read the multi-agency learning review following the murder of Bijan Ebrahimi here:
Multi-agency learning review following the murder of Bijan Ebrahimi
Dyfed-Powys Police have taken the ASB Pledge
Dyfed-Powys Police have taken the ASB Pledge.
We are delighted to work with Dyfed-Powys Police, who have taken the ASB Pledge, which commits officers and staff to giving victims of antisocial behaviour a voice. It is essential we put victims first.
Dyfed-Powys Police was awarded the ASB Help Pledge after creating a clear process which enables the force and partners to play an active role in resolving entrenched antisocial behaviour.
The pledge helps organisations to create effective policies that make it easier for victims to invoke the Community Trigger (also known as an ASB case review).
We hope more agencies take the ASB Pledge, so we can ensure victims are put first and Anti-Social Behaviour is resolved as quickly as possible.
Read more about how you can take the ASB Pledge here: https://asbhelp.co.uk/practitioners-hub/the-asb-pledge/
Read more on the Community Trigger here: https://asbhelp.co.uk/practitioners-hub/asb-case-review-practitioners/
Read the full story here: https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/19203853.dyfed-powys-police-awarded-commitment-victims-antisocial-behaviour/?ref=twtrec
Updated Victim's Code
New rights for victims of crime introduced
On Thursday 1st April 2021, an updated Victims’ Code came into effect, introducing 12 rights for victims of crime and setting out the services and standards that must be provided to victims by the police and other criminal justice agencies.
The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, more commonly known as the Victims’ Code, is published by the Ministry of Justice and it’s applicable from the moment a crime is reported to the end of a trial in court.
Merseyside Police has welcomed the changes to the Victims’ Code and the force has made it clear that it is committed to ensuring victims of crime are fully supported and kept informed at all stages of a case.
The force has introduced contact cards and information leaflets which will be given to victims when a police officer first attends the report of a crime. The new cards allow officers to provide a reference number and a clear point of contact for enquiries about the case.
The new leaflet contains a lot of useful information. This includes an overview of the next steps following the crime being reported, plus information about the victim’s rights, compensation, the Right to Review scheme, the role of the Witness Care Unit and how support services can be accessed via Victim Care Merseyside.
Victim Care Merseyside is a dedicated support resource for victims of crime, commissioned by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner. The website has a comprehensive directory of services available to victims throughout Merseyside. Victims can easily find specialist support in their local area that can help them cope and recover from the aftereffects of a crime.
Remember, if you report a crime, the police will discuss what support you may require. Be open and honest – the sooner they understand your needs as both a victim and potential witness, the sooner they can put the right support in place or refer you to an organisation that can assist.
You can find more details about your rights under the Victims’ Code and read the full Victims’ Code document, published by the Ministry of Justice by visiting: www.gov.uk or https://www.victimcaremerseyside.org/my-rights/the-victims-code
Victims Law Policy Paper
The victims' commissioner for England and Wales has called for a law to ensure people affected by crime are treated properly as they wait for justice. The paper, published today (24th February 2021) sets out her ambitions for long-awaited Victims’ Law, and calls for criminal justice agencies to be more accountable and for victims to be accorded “participants’ rights".
The full paper, published today (24th February 2021) can be found below:
ASB statutory guidance update
The government has published strengthened guidance for local agencies around anti-social behaviour to ensure that victims have their voices heard.
Changes to the guidance:
- Updated references to legislation and to reflect the new Sentencing Code
- Further clarity on the process of the Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review/Community Trigger to make sure there is a greater focus on the impact of anti-social behaviour on victims; including that relevant bodies should always consider inviting the victim or, if more appropriate, a representative to a section of the case review meeting and highlighting that local areas can have independent chairs for the review meetings
- Emphasising the requirements for local agencies to publish details of the Community Trigger procedure to ensure that victims are aware that they can apply and to annually publish specified data.
The link to the full statutory guidance can be found here:
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act: anti-social behaviour