Can effective housing management policies address anti-social behaviour?

Abstract

Anti-social behaviour is a generic term used to describe activities ranging from littering to serious forms of harassment, which can negatively impact on the neighbourhoods in which they occur. There are competing views on the causes of anti-social behaviour and the best way to tackle these types of activities. On the one hand, some argue that problems of anti-social behaviour are a consequence of pover ty and can therefore only be properly addressed by increasing resources and material benefits. Others argue that the problems of anti-social behaviour cannot be resolved simply at a structural level and that individual responses are required, even if this means targeting particular households. This study set out to understand the first-hand perspectives of tenants, housing managers and law enforcement agencies on problems of anti-social behaviour in public housing estates and to evaluate the usefulness of existing procedures for addressing anti-social behaviour in these areas.