£1.4 MILLION CRACKDOWN ON TEENAGE SUMMER BINGE DRINKING  

- CALL TO ACTION ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR -

Graham Allen MP said today “I welcome the funds coming to Nottingham to crackdown on teenage binge drinking during the summer holidays, with up to £1.4 million of new cash for 69 youth crime priority areas of which Nottingham is one. This is in addition to the £350,000 that each area is receiving this year to tackle anti-social behaviour and youth crime. This also compliments our” Early Intervention City strategy with it’s attack on the causes of underage alcohol and drug abuse.

The new crackdown is responding to feedback from police and youth services who say that alcohol remains a major factor influencing low level youth crime and anti-social behaviour.  Children’s services and police are being asked to work together to stop and prevent alcohol influenced anti-social behaviour.

Local areas are being asked to submit a three-point plan to show how they will take forward a range of prevention and enforcement activity, using the new money, which must include:

·        Tough enforcement - confiscating alcohol, using dispersal powers to break up groups of young people getting drunk and causing trouble and behaviour contracts to hold them to account;

·        Early intervention and support – giving young people one-to-one support, and youth services working with families to address underlying reasons for young people’s behaviour, using parenting contracts and orders to support parents;

·        Communicating to the local community – making it clear to the public what is being done to tackle drunk and disorderly behaviour by young people.

This is alongside the Government’s strategy to prevent anti-social behaviour by giving young people a say in the activities on offer in their areas, at the times and places that they want and need them, including on Friday and Saturday nights.

Graham Allen MP said:

“We know that during the summer holidays as the evenings get longer more young people want to spend time outside with their friends. The majority of young people are law-abiding and make a positive contribution to their communities. However, when alcohol is a factor we know that some young people’s behaviour can get out of control and this can lead to anti-social behaviour. Communities should not have to put up with this.

“That’s why we are determined to keep up the pressure on local areas so that they crackdown on teenage drinking at all times, but especially during the summer months. Some areas are better than others at using enforcement powers – but we know with the right combination of tough action on unacceptable or illegal behaviour, and support and prevention for young people at risk of getting into trouble, areas can make real progress tackling this complicated and difficult problem.

“We must give young people the help they need to prevent offending behaviour in the future and tackle the causes of their irresponsible drinking. With the support of the Youth Taskforce many areas are helping thousands of vulnerable young people get back on track.

And our Youth Alcohol Action Plan sets out the action we are taking to help young people to drink safely and responsibly.” 

Alan Johnson, Home Secretary said: 

"I am committed to tackling underage drinking. Alcohol, especially in the summer, is one of the main drivers of low level youth crime and antisocial behaviour in our communities and this money will help local authorities and police to combat the problem through a mixture of education, enforcement and cooperation with business.

“This targeted funding compliments the £24.1m handed to the 69 YCAP areas earlier this month; our latest hard hitting advertising campaign, Know Your Limits, which confronts young people with the reality of their drunken behaviour; and an ongoing 12 week public consultation on the proposed mandatory code of conduct for alcohol retailers.

“Drinking alcohol is never an excuse for causing harm and distress to others and we will continue to ensure the police and courts have all the tools and powers they need to swiftly bring the irresponsible minority to account. Overall, alcohol-related violence has fallen by around a third since 1995 but, as this funding shows, we are not complacent.”

Chief Constable Ian Mcpherson, youth lead for the Association of Chief Police Officers said:

“Ensuring that young people get the support they need when they get in trouble must be a fundamental part of our approach to tackling youth crime. The summer alcohol drive is a positive way to bring agencies together to create safer communities.”

The crackdown on summer drinking comes as the Youth Taskforce publishes its Progress Report, which showcases the pioneering work across the country over the last year to prevent and tackle the underlying causes of anti-social behaviour. The Youth Taskforce has been working with local areas to coordinate enforcement activity with prevention and intervention services so that the most vulnerable young people are helped to turn their lives around.

Progress over the last year includes:

·        95 per cent of local authorities have now implemented the Targeted Youth Support reforms meaning that young people at risk are assessed by support services at the earliest possible opportunity;

·        Since summer 2008 around 200 young people have received one-to-one support from a youth worker through Intensive Intervention Projects;

·        Between September 2008 and April 2009 nearly 8,000 young people and families benefitted from Challenge and Support projects in 52 areas. The projects ensure that young people who are issued with ASBOs or ABCs are given follow-up support from a mentor to address the causes of their behaviour and prevent them entering the criminal justice system.

As well as reducing anti-social behaviour, the interventions have improved family relationships, school attendance, and young people’s involvement in youth activities and reduced homelessness and substance misuse.

We know that the issue of young people and alcohol is complicated and we want young people to grow up with a safe and responsible attitude to alcohol. The Youth Alcohol Action Plan (YAAP) was developed last year and has taken forward the following action: 

·        Making it unacceptable for young people under 18 to be drinking unsupervised in public places;

·        Making it easier for the police to confiscate alcohol from young people;

·        Introducing clear medical guidance by the Chief Medical Officer on alcohol consumption by young people;

·        Introducing tougher laws to tackle shops and off-licences that sell alcohol to young people;

·        Launching a social marketing campaign aimed at parents and young people to highlight the risks of drinking to young people’s health and safety.