Antisocial definitions cause concern

It is not yet clear whether antisocial behaviour legislation will
become friend or foe to disabled people, Capability Scotland
said.

Michelle Hegarty, director of communication at the disability
organisation, voiced concern that the current definition of
antisocial behaviour could discriminate against disabled people
because they could display challenging behaviour that others might
view as antisocial.

This could lead to disabled children and adults being made the
subject of antisocial behaviour orders inappropriately, she
said.

Guidance on noise management was also a big problem for many
parents with disabled children.

“When the noise is beyond their control it would be better to
change the physical environment such as having sound insulation,”
she said.

But disabled people are also more likely to be victims of
antisocial behaviour. Hegarty said that, with no general offence of
harassment in Scotland and the police failing to use common law to
deal with the problem, antisocial behaviour legislation could
protect disabled people.