The report describes the processes involved in implementing and enforcing a Dispersal Order. It considers initial evidence on the effectiveness of the Dispersal Order in the Openshaw area of East Manchester. It also looks at the views of residents, young people, NDC practitioners and the police. The report identifies lessons for the successful use of Dispersal Orders.

Antisocial behaviour, particularly amongst young people is regarded as a significant problem throughout the country, particularly in large metropolitan areas and deprived neighbourhoods. The problem is recognised in the majority of the areas covered by the government’s NDC regeneration programme. The Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003 gives the police, working with local authorities, powers to designate an area affected by antisocial behaviour where they can disperse groups of people. In these Dispersal Order areas, the police can direct individuals in groups of two or more to leave the area and exclude them from the area for up to 24 hours.

A range of methods was used:

There are differing perspectives on the role and effectiveness of the Dispersal Order. NDC practitioners and the police viewed it as providing the means to effectively tackle young people’s involvement in antisocial behaviour, whilst at the same time improving the quality of life of NDC residents. In contrast, young people felt that the Order was unfair as it restricted the number of friends they could socialise with and placed restrictions on the time they could stay out. The research suggests that the results cannot provide a definitive evaluation of the effectiveness of the dispersal order, due to the limited period covered.

NDC National Evaluation at CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University
Paul Lawless, tel. +44 114 225 3529

01/11/2004

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Hannah Smithson

research

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Anti-crime policy

Anti-social behaviour & vandalism