Government launches crackdown on drunken violence

Spiralling public concern over drunken violence prompted a double-header of Government initiatives. An initial summer blitz on irresponsible premises and ‘drunken yobs’ was followed less than two weeks later by the Home Office’s Strategic Plan, which among plans for police reform also sets out how the Government plans to achieve its major aim that “fewer people’s lives are ruined by drugs and alcohol.”

The need for action – and the perhaps more important need for the Government to be seen to be acting – was heightened by the publication of official statistics showing a rise in recorded violent crime, despite longer-term drops in British Crime Survey (BCS) figures.

However, the document really adds little to the ‘summer alcohol misuse enforcement campaign’ and the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England published earlier in the year. One additional measure is that 20,000 new Community Support Officers will be recruited, quadrupling the number currently in existence, which – along with greater numbers of police officers and others freed from paperwork – is hoped to reinforce the police presence on the streets of the night-time economy. Similarly, a move towards Neighbourhood Policing will allow greater neighbourhood involvement in tackling anti-social behaviour. Although the details of this will not be announced until later in the year, neighbourhood wardens with powers to tackle irresponsible alcohol sales see likely after having been mentioned in the Strategic Plan.

The more immediate battle to assuage public fears started on 8 July, as police units across England and Wales started to tackle sales to minors and badlyrun bars and clubs as well as the ‘drunken yobs’ who create the climate of violence in urban centres at weekends. This Home Office campaign (supported by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Trading Standards Authorities) will not receive any new powers, but will instead shore up the use of powers they already have by law (see box).

When the 8-week campaign ends after the August Bank Holiday, the Police Standards Unit (PSU) based in the Home Office will collate data on the number of enforcement actions taken and look at the repeat offenders in selling to U18s. More ambitiously, the PSU hopes to “kick start a culture change where it will be less acceptable to get drunk and behave in an anti-social or violent manner.”

The campaign builds on a briefing recently published by the ever-busy PSU on Best Practice for tackling alcoholrelated violence. This summary of tactical options was promised in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit report, and is designed to be a reference document for Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and police forces from which they should choose the most suitable options for their own area.

Success stories from around the country are based around a number of themes, including the idea of ‘capable guardians’ – that someone is less likely to break the law if they think someone is watching them. While this ‘someone’ can be a policeman it could also be bus conductors or even non-humans such as better lighting. The mechanical eyes of CCTV are often cited by the PSU as helpful, whether in fixed or mobile positions, in licensed premises or in taxis. More traditional flesh-and-blood approaches include bus and taxi marshals, mobile triage/A&E units for pre-planned events and refuse collectors (who can also remove potential weapons from the street).

This fits neatly into the more general aim of reasserting the authority of the police over outdoor areas containing drinkers. The most common way of achieving this is the most obvious – simply devote more officers to peak-time policing in these areas with mobile police stations to support them. Yet the powers conferred on the police by recent legislation allow them to take further action to regain control over areas that are causing concern, ranging from search powers to alcohol prohibition zones via confiscation of alcohol from youth street drinkers. One effective method has been to take a robust approach to lowlevel disorder in hot-spots that can come before violence (such as littering, urinating, offensive language). If these offences are recorded on databases then a real threat can be made that repeat offences within 6 months will result in prosecution.

A second prominent strand of action tries to ease the pressures that lead to the types of conflict that escalate into violence. This is the argument for staggered closing times, although whether the new Licensing Act will actually succeed in staggering closing times, or if it does whether that will have the desired effects remains to be seen. But the PSU offer a number of other illustrations of how to tackle late-night violence based on this idea. One of the major strains is late-night transport or the lack of it, where large numbers of revellers often compete for a limited number of taxis to make their way home. To tackle this, local authorities and police forces have tried to ensure that taxi ranks are situated well away from any other transport hubs (including other taxi ranks). In the same vein, subsidised peaktime buses – that can be cashfree with tickets on sale only in clubs – are an effective way of reducing competition for transport. Another tactic is to set up a pedestrian zone around clusters of licensed premises, which not only stops disputes over passing taxis but has the added bonus of reducing the number of drinkers who are involved in traffic accidents. Taking the same concept into other areas, clashes over latenight food can be combated through local authorit incentives to site these outlets in areas of current low provision, again spreading out services to minimise the chances of violence.

One recurring theme for Home Office Ministers has been getting to grips with ‘roguer’ licensees, and Hazel Blears followed this when launching the summer crackdown campaign: “most of the alcohol industry act responsibly, but with this campaign we are putting across a clear message – if you sell to underage drinkers, if you promote violent and anti-social behaviour, you’re not going to get away with it and we will use a raft of powers shut down your premises.” Although the Best Practice guide makes no explicit mention of temporary closures, the same message is clearly visible throughout it as well. The ‘conscientious’ arm of the trade is expected to help with ‘Quality Charter Marks’, proofof- age wristbands and ‘No ID no entry’ schemes, visible doorstaff with ID, Night Net radio/paging systems and safety glasses (although several of these can be linked to license conditions and CDRP subsidies). But ‘rogue’ premises can expect to see test purchasing, telephone numbers to report underage sales and proactive licensing teams using reports from the street fed into licensing databases. Experience has also shown that drawing in other agencies can help – the same places that are run without regard to public order may be susceptible to joint visits with Environmental Health, the Fire Service, licensing authorities et al. The PSU also recommend a strategy halfway between partnership and enforcement, by using videos of hot-spots (taken during routine visits) to confront licensees with examples of irresponsible promotions and poor management to get them to change their own behaviour.

These varied approaches that work on the drinking climate are bolstered by policing that focuses on the two sets of people who are actually involved – the victims and the offenders. For victims, the scope of what the police can do is limited to three core ideas. Firstly, referral for those who have suffered some form of crime where drunkenness has played a part can support the victim through the criminal justice process, giving instant benefits in prosecution success and more broadly giving the public more confidence in the police. Secondly, evidence and intelligence should be gathered as a matter of course at the start of the process in case of prosecution without the victim’s consent, and can be helped by linking up with NHS Primary and Acute Trusts who treat victims. And finally, high-profile campaigns can give potential victims information on avoiding trouble by suggesting safe routes home, showing details of public transport and telling people the risks of drunkenness.

Yet none of this can compete with the strong arm of the law in taking hold of ‘drunken yobs’ by the scruff of the neck (at least, not in the popular imagination). Police forces nationally have made progress by picking from a menu of possible powers – alcohol purchase bans for repeat offences, exclusion orders, ASBOs, acceptable behaviour contracts, victimless prosecutions and fixed-penalty notices. The chances of taking an offence through the criminal justice system are also enhanced by Post Arrest Support Teams, who can come to the scene of a crime and make sure it is investigated as thoroughly as possible while maintaining a visible presence on the street. To make the most of these measures, the PSU also urge forces to publicise the convictions that take place to reassure the public as well as to get the point across to potential offenders.

Recognising the public outcry over current disorder, the drinks trade have accepted the Home Office campaign despite bracing themselves for a slight dip in profits as a result. The Wetherspoon’s chain publicly justified this to their shareholders by arguing it was in their ‘long-term interests’ for them to accept the strategy – implying that they want to use this opportunity to head off the threat of further legislation that could more seriously affect their profit margins.

The PSU Best Practice Report entitled “Violent Crime: Tackling Violent Crime in the Night-time Economy” can be downloaded from the PSU website at www.policereform.gov.uk/psu/index.html

For good ideas of how these schemes can work see ‘City Centre Safe’ in Manchester (www.citycentresafe.com) and Nightsafe’ in Blackpool (www.lancashire.police.uk/night safe.html)

It is suggested that the bans last three years and are given to those convicted of three offences related to drunkenness within a 12-month period.

Those convicted of violent offences in licensed premises are banned from them.

Acceptable Behaviour Contracts/Agreements (ABC/As) are informal contracts between young people, their parents and local agencies (for example the police, housing landlords, schools and Youth Offending Teams), that the person concerned will not engage in specified anti-social behaviour. They also spell out the consequences of breaking that agreement.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) are for those who engage in more persistent antisocial behaviour, and stop specific acts or ban offenders from particular areas. The process has recently been speeded up. For example, an interim ASBO can now be sought in a matter of hours. The Home Office also promises to take action to ensure that it is easier for local media to report prosecution for breaches of ASBOs.

Fixed penalty notices for disorder offences that provide both a rapid sanction and a warning to stop, without the need for a case to go to court. Over 20,000 such notices have been issued to date and we are expanding the range of offences for which a fixed penalty notice can be issued. We propose to extend them to include misuse of fireworks, criminal damage, and minor theft. Use of fixed penalty notices for ten to fifteen year olds will also be piloted. They are currently used for those aged sixteen and over.