Recently in Antisocial behaviour Category

by Helen Bonnick, a supervisor of school-home support workers and a social worker

A few weeks ago the headlines were all about the tragic story of Fiona Pilkington, the torment she suffered at the hands of local 'yobs' and the 'national debate' supposedly sparked by her suicide. Phone-ins as well as news programmes invited listeners to broadcast their own experiences of being bullied or feeling intimidated. Was I the only one to feel despair at hearing of responses such as "they'll grow out of it", or "just ignore them and they'll go away". I was just waiting for someone to have said, "it'll harden you up". Have we really not moved on at all in the last 20 years?

by Dean Woodward

Portsmouth University's critical study of the effectiveness of ISSPs is wide of the mark argues youth offending specialist Dean Woodward

The call to "scrap" intensive supervision and surveillance programmes (ISSP) by the University of Portsmouth seems incredibly bold.
I don't know if it is the assumption that the snapshot survey in Portsmouth of two youth offending teams is representative of the 157 across England and Wales, or if it is the sensationalised quotes from the clients ("I should have gone to custody"; "I can't get out of bed", etc) that I find the most surprising. Or it may be the simplistic solutions proposed, such as needing to find a new environment and new peers, and to teach job-related skills to reduce re-offending.

By John Grier

Problem drinkers are getting younger and more numerous. But sorting out post-emergency care is proving difficult to manage

by Hugh Thornbery

A set of family-centred initiatives in north west England is cutting antisocial behaviour. The government would do well to take heed