The scheme, which is being piloted in 10 areas, will see police and crime commissioners provided with funding to ensure that those found responsible for offences such as graffiti and vandalism start repair work as quickly as possible.
Offenders will be required to wear jumpsuits or hi-vis jackets while performing repair work, in order to ensure they are visible to members of the public, while supervised. The scheme aims to show the public that anti-social behaviour is “quickly and visibly” punished, and communities will be given a say in how offenders are punished. Those who have already cleaned up damage will be assigned other tasks, such as litter picking or volunteering in local shops. The scheme will be rolled out across England and Wales in 2024.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hopes that the measures will put an end to the “scourge of anti-social behaviour” and eradicate the disruption, damage and feelings of unsafety that these acts cause. However, the opposition Labour party has criticised the government for “slashing” neighbourhood policing and copying their plan on “tough community payback”. They have suggested that the government has let anti-social behaviour make people’s lives miserable by overlooking the importance of providing adequate resources to combat it.
