POLICE and local authorities in Suffolk and Essex are handing out fewer Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) to tackle nuisance behaviour, new figures show.

Danielle Nuttall

POLICE and local authorities in Suffolk and Essex are handing out fewer Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) to tackle nuisance behaviour, new figures show.

Home Office statistics published yesterday shows only 35 Asbos were issued in Suffolk during 2006 compared with 53 in 2005 - a drop of 33%.

Meanwhile, in Essex 32 Asbos were handed out in 2006 compared to 88 in 2005 - a fall of 64%.

Figures for 2007 have not been collated yet.

The decline, which is mirrored nationally, has been put down to increased use of “early intervention” measures - such as Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) - to curb anti-social behaviour before it escalates.

Police say these early warnings are deterring people from committing further incidents.

A Suffolk police spokesman said: “Anti-social behaviour can have a huge impact on people's quality of life and tackling this issue is a priority for the constabulary.

“Anti-social behaviour orders are one of a number of tools we use to tackle such behaviour. The decline in the number of Asbos issued demonstrates that early intervention procedures are proving to be successful.

“Early warnings are given to offenders to discourage anti-social behaviour and acceptable behaviour contracts are issued. These are a voluntary agreement in which the offender agrees to bring to an end their anti-social behaviour. These early warnings are deterring further incidents, leading to fewer Asbos being issued.”

The spokesman added: “It is pleasing to see this downward trend and demonstrates how initial warnings have an immediate effect in reducing incidents of this nature. We will continue our work with our partners to reduce anti-social crime and improve the quality of life for residents.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Here in Essex we have an array of options to clamp down on anti-social behaviour. With the introduction of neighbourhood policing, we now look to work with children and their parents. We prefer to talk to them and will only resort to issuing an Asbo as a final solution.”

Suffolk has handed out a total of 203 Asbos since 1999, when they were first introduced, while Essex has issued a total of 224.

Nationally, the number of Asbos issued has fallen from a peak in 2005 of 4,123 to 2,706 in 2006.

Meanwhile, the number of parenting orders and ABCs rose from 7,444 in 2003-4 to 26,675 in 2006.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith yesterdayvowed to “turn the tables” on troublemakers as she unveiling a new initiative urging police to crack down on individuals who ignore warnings over their anti-social behaviour.

Building on a scheme piloted in Essex, officers will be told to give those who persistently make their neighbours' lives hell “a taste of their own medicine” by subjecting them to repeated visits, checks and warnings.

Home Office figures suggest that two-thirds of people involved in anti-social behaviour - such as vandalism, threatening behaviour and street drinking - give it up after their first warning.