DESPITE one in two Scots saying they have been impacted by anti-social behaviour, half of the incidents are going unreported, according to new research.

Over 700,000 Scots were victims of anti-social behaviour in the last three years with over one in four saying the problem had increased over the period.

But community safety group Resolve said the situation is even worse than is being reported and has called on government to take more action.

The Resolve-commissioned survey found that 28% said anti-social behaviour (ASB) had increased in their area in the last three years, compared to just 4% reporting a decrease.

Some 13% of Scots said that they had been the victim of ASB over the three years with a further 33% saying that they witnessed the problem. Common concerns included vandalism (49%), fly-tipping (32%), nuisance neighbours (30%), people using or dealing in drugs (29%), intimidation (20%) and begging (17%).

Despite the devastating impact that it can have on communities, half of those those who were victims of or witnessed anti-social behaviour over the period did not report the issue to anyone.

This suggested that the 322,271 incidents of ASB recorded by Police Scotland in 2021/22 dramatically understated the scale of the problem.

When victims and witnesses were asked why they didn’t make a report, common responses included ‘didn’t think that anything would be done’ (51%), ‘didn’t think the issue was serious enough to report’ (44%) and ‘didn’t know how/who to report the ASB to’ (15%).

Just 36% of those who said they had been a victim or witnessed ASB said they had reported the incident to police. And of those who did 42% said they were either fairly or very dissatisfied with the way it was handled.

The Herald:

When asked what would make them more likely to report future incidents of ASB, respondents highlighted ‘a more visible police presence in my area’ (36%), 'an option for anonymous reporting' (35%) and ‘clear communication about who and/or how to make a complaint’ (31%).

“Whatever the national statistics say, our research shows that the situation in communities is even worse than is being reported,” said Rebecca Bryant, chief executive of Resolve.

“ASB is not low-level crime, and we have seen time and time again that it can rapidly escalate if it is not addressed. It is therefore extremely concerning to see that so many people who are impacted by ASB are not reporting incidents because they don’t think that they are serious enough.

“We need to get the message out that early intervention is crucial and that nationally, three quarters of ASB cases are resolved at first intervention.

“We also need to ensure that everyone who experiences ASB feels empowered to report the problem and understands the huge amount of support that available.”

The survey also found that over one in four said that ASB made them feel unsafe in their local area and just over one in ten said it had had an impact on their mental health. Just under one in six said ASB had caused them to consider moving home.

The survey coincides with ASB Awareness Week which runs till July 24 and encourages communities to come together to take a stand against ASB and understand how they can report and deal with issues where they live.

The Home Office used the launch of ASB Awareness Week to publish a new set of Anti-Social Behaviour Principles, aimed at encouraging more people to report anti-social behaviour, improving partnership working between different agencies and protecting victims.

The Principles make it clear that victims should be encouraged to report ASB and can expect to be taken seriously when they do. They also call for much clearer pathways for reporting incidents, and ensure perpetrators have an opportunity to repair the harm they cause.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government recognises that everyone has the right to be, and feel, safe in their community.  That’s why we are committed to tacking all forms of antisocial behaviour and we are committed to ensuring all agencies have the powers and resources needed.  We would always urge people to record any crime to the police.  Police Scotland and local authorities lead on interventions, and have a range of options available when tackling antisocial behaviour. 

“According to the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS), which includes crimes not reported to the police, between 2008/9 and 2019/20, the percentage of adults who thought ‘People behaving in an anti-social manner in public’ was very or fairly common in their local area decreased from 46% to 33%.

“Despite UK Government austerity the Scottish Government has increased police funding year-on-year since 2016-17, investing more than £10 billion in policing since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013.”