www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Information for Students
When people talk about anti social behaviour, they often blame young people. But young people can be affected by asb too. You might be worried to walk past a big noisy group of people, especially if they have been drinking or seem threatening. You might be fed up with litter on the playing fields, or people riding motorbikes there. All this is anti social behaviour.
Sometimes, asb can take the form of bullying. People might be shouting things at you that make you feel uncomfortable, or they might be trying to get you involved in drugs or alcohol. Sometimes asb can reach the point where you are a victim of crime.
If you are worried about asb, you can talk to a parent or teacher or to the police. If you want to report a crime, you can call Crimestoppers who will not tell anyone about your call.
- Wiltshire Police: 01380 735735
- Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111
You and your friends
Sometimes, you might be ‘anti social’ yourself, without realising. This can have a big impact on other people who live near you or are at school with you. For example, skateboarding or playing ball games in the street might worry older people who are scared about getting hit or knocked over. Big groups of students can feel threatening to other students at your school, even if you’re not doing anything wrong. Always try to think about how your behaviour might affect the other people who live near you or are at school with you.
If this goes on for a long time, you could end up in trouble with the police. The police and the district council have lots of different ways to deal with asb:
- Dispersal (where the police can move on groups meeting in certain places)
- Confiscation (taking alcohol or cigarettes away from you)
- Fixed penalty notices (fines for certain behaviour – being drunk, playing truant)
- Acceptable Behaviour Contract (an agreement between a young person and the Youth Offending Team or other groups that the young person will stop the asb)
- Anti Social Behaviour Order (stops a young person from going to particular places or behaving anti socially. If they do not comply with the order, they can be prosecuted)
If you are anti social at school, you might get excluded, either for a short time or permanently. This could affect your education, whether you pass your exams, and in years to come, whether you can get a job.
For more information on your rights look at the Rizer website or the pages on the youth justice system.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the safer schools pages, please send them to saferschools@wiltshire.gov.uk or fill in and return our feedback form.
