PCC ahead of the curve in supporting ASB victims

New changes have come into force offering victims in Durham unparalleled support and protection from persistent anti-social behaviour.

Ahead of the new statutory legislation, County Durham and Darlington Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen introduced sweeping improvements to the management and administration of the Anti-SocialBehaviour (ASB) Case Review process to improve outcomes for victims requesting a review.

The ASB Case Review scheme enables victims of ASB who have reported persistent incidents but are unhappy with the level of response they have received to hold those agencies responsible to account for solving their problems.

As part of her mission to deliver a first-class service to all victims of crime, the PCC has now invested in the recruitment of a dedicated Review Coordinator to provide victims with a single point of contact throughout their case.

She has also appointed two volunteer ASB case review chairs and has implemented a dedicated case management system to enable staff to track progress more efficiently.

Additionally, the PCC has supported the introduction of a new recording tool for ASB incidents within the force. During the design and implementation phase, the PCC’s Operations Service Manager worked alongside the force to ensure the system can effectively identify cases that should be referred for support, as well as those that meet the local ASB Case Review criteria.

The changes were made in advance of the Crime and Policing Act receiving Royal Assent in April. Under this new legislation, PCCs are now legally responsible for handling appeals in relation to ASB case reviews until 2028 when they will be managed by Local Policing Bodies.

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “Durham has been at the leading edge of ASB innovation for some time. These improvements don’t just happen overnight they involve dogged determination backed with sustained funding – funding I have invested from my own budget to provide the first-class service that victims deserve.

“ASB ruins lives and has a ripple effect across our communities, shattering confidence and trust. It has repeatedly been in the top three priorities set by residents and it should not be left to the discretion of PCCs to provide support to plug the void in critical services that are needed to prevent people from navigating these debilitating experiences alone.

“Fortunately, we recognised very early on in Durham that we can do much more than the bare minimum, and continue to work with an array of experts, agencies and professionals to fulfil our duty of care to ASB victims – listening and learning from lived experiences to deliver meaningful and tangible change.

“The recent changes including the appointment of a dedicated Review Coordinator are part of an ongoing mission to put victims at the heart of the ASB response and ensure their voice is always heard.”

The PCC was believed to be first in the country to offer victims of ASB the opportunity to attend the case review and provide statements of the harm they have endured. Agencies are now strongly guided to invite victims to participate or share their views during the review and to provide a Single Point of Contact (SPoC) under the new legislation.

The Commissioner was also the first in the country to appoint an Anti-Social Behaviour Champion to support victims and lead vital research into the victim’s journey throughout the justice system and many of her other Police and Crime Plan priorities draw on the lessons outlined by the late Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, in her report into ASB.

Anyone wishing to have a review can find more information and the form to complete by using this link https://www.durham-pcc.gov.uk/asb-case-review.

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Picture Shows (L-R):  Andrea Patterson (ASB Victims Champion), Joy Allen , Lawrence Petterson (ASB Case Review Chair), Mac Williams (ASB Case Review Chair), Joanne Redman (Community Safety Coordinator) and Mark Warcup (VCAMS Operations Manager)

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