Anti-Social Behavior in Social Housing - Essay Example

Anti-Social Behavior in Social Housing Literature Review Antisocial Behaviour and Housing. . Communities and Local Government. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingmanagementcare/antisocialbehaviour/ According to Communities and Local Government (2010, pg. 1), "Social landlords have a key role to play, working in partnership with the police, local authorities and other local agencies, in preventing and tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the communities where they own and manage homes. The Home Office has overall responsibility for the Government's policy on ASB. CLG works closely with the Home Office and has lead responsibility for ASB policy as it specifically relates to housing issues. That has included significant legislation to provide social landlords with the tools and powers they need to tackle ASB and a strong focus on strengthening the capacity of landlords and tenants to take and secure effective action." There are certain standards that social housing landlords must comply with according to the government and authorities. These are set forth by the Tenant Services Authority, or TSA. They are responsible for the regulation of the performance of landlords and preventing and stopping anti-social behaviour in their housing systems (Communities and Local Government (2010). According to Communities and Local Government (2010, pg. 1), "The TSA Standards on ASB build on The Respect Standard for Housing Management, launched in August 2006. The Respect Standard outlines the core components essential to delivering an effective response to ASB and building stronger communities, such as accountability, leadership, giving greater resident empowerment, and supporting community efforts at tackling anti-social behaviour. CLG proposes to work with social landlords and tenants to update the Respect Standard, in the light of the TSA Standards, to ensure that it remains a key sector led driver of good practice on ASB." Housing and anti-social behaviour: A guide for residents. (2007). Communities and Local Government. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/housingbehaviour According to Communities and Local Government (2007), "Anti-social behaviour includes a wide range of problems. It can broadly be defined as behaviour that is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to an individual/s or the wider community. Local agencies have the tools and powers to tackle anti-social behaviour." They clearly should do so. This particular article suggests that these people of authority step in and do something to alleviate the problem. There are many different options to do so, and it just takes careful planning and action to carry it through. These plans could significantly impact social housing and anti-social behaviour (Communities and Local Government, 2007). Wilson, W. (2010). Anti-Social Behaviour in Social Housing. Library House of Commons. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/briefings/snsp-00264.pdf Social landlords are housing authorities that are trained to be registered social landlords. When it comes to tenants who exhibit anti-social behaviour, these registered social landlords have a lot of power that they can exercise. The 1996 Housing Act, the 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act, and the 2004 Housing Act help led to this increase in power and authority (Wilson, 2010). Also according to Wilson (2010), "The Government has published a leaflet (February 2010) which explains where to go for help to tackle anti-social behaviour and how to help solve anti-social behaviour problems in neighbourhoods: Tackling Anti-social Behaviour. Alongside the launch of this leaflet, John Denham announced the opening up of a programme of Government training to anyone suffering from anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhood. In October 2009 the Home Secretary announced another tranche of measures to control anti-social behaviour. These included an increased emphasis on prosecuting for breach of an ASBO. The new drive against anti-social behaviour was signalled in a letter to all local authorities and Police forces in England in August 2009." Anti-Social Housing and Why to Be So. (2010). Civitas Blog. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.civitas.org.uk/blog/2005/09/antisocial_housing_and_why_to.html According to Civita's Blog (2010), "Like the Ministries of 'Peace' and of 'Truth' in George Orwell's 1984, 'social housing' is a term used in public parlance today to denote the very opposite of what it might at first sight be thought to. What the term designates is the publicly owned housing estates on which are accommodated many of the lowest income groups, among whom single parent households form a disproportionately large part." The government has noticed that a large portion of anti-social behaviour has stemmed from social housing, particularly infiltrated with lower income families. The government has launched two campaigns to help with this overall problem. First of all is the sticks and carrots campaign (Civita's Blog, 2010). According to Civita's Blog (2010), "Its carrot will be improvements to the infrastructure of currently deprived areas so as to attract owner-occupiers to them or the vicintiy of them by whose increased presence there the government hopes to raise the tone of these neighbourhoods. Its stick is to be greater use of ASBO's, and, no doubt, also of parenting orders that, it has recently announced, are to be about to become able to issued by anyone in authority against the parents whose children they judge at risk of sliding into anti-social behaviour. These sticks are to be wielded by 'wardens, neighbourhood managers, youth facilities and childcare'." The concept of building up neighbourhoods of these social housing occupants, keeping a mind on the greater quality of life they can achieve, seems like a much better solution to the problem. It keeps from sinking greater amounts of federal money in them and reduces the risk of reducing human and private capital (Civita's Blog, 2010). Millie, A.; J. Jacobson; E. MacDonald; and M. Hough. (2005). Anti-Social Behaviour Strategies:Finding a Balance. Policy Press. This book focuses on striking a balance amongst anti-social behaviour strategies. Itcovers the breach of peace in Great Britain versus public opinion, conflict management in Great Britain, deviant behaviour in Great Britain versus public opinion, disorderly conduct in Great Britain versus public opinion, nuisances in Great Britain versus public opinion, problem youth in Great Britain versus public opion and public opinion and social problems in Great Britain. It covers anti-social behaviour strategies in Great Britain, particularly regarding its housing and neighbourhoods. Deprived neighbourhoods seem to have the greatest concentration of anti-social behaviour (Jacobson, et.al., 2005). Fletcher, K. (2006). Partnerships in social care: A handbook for developing effective services. Jessica Kingsley. This book covers human services, public-private sector cooperation, and social service in Great Britain. It draws a relationship through crime and anti-social behaviour and how it has been rising at a staggering pace in the United Kingdom. It also covers aspects of human behaviour to all extent, as well as negotiation, health, and social services. It covers negotiation, health and human services, GP groups, social workers, and influences on the behaviour of the bureaucracies (Fletcher, 2006). It offers a guide to social care to help those who are socially challenged or un-social to help them come out of their shell, do something to better their lives, and help themselves come out of the rut. This can be a successful venture for many different people, but may not work well for everybody or even anyone. The key is to keep trying and improve the overall condition of people living in poverty and having to rely on the social system to curb their anti-social behaviour. Corby, B. (2006). Applying research in social work practice. Open University Press. This book covers origins, research and social work-an uneasy alliance over time, the advent of evidence-based practice, paradigm wars, child care research, mental health, older people and disability, working out the value of research, putting research into practice-barriers and opportunities, and coming to conclusions (Corby, 2006). It plays the role of applying research to social practice, which can have an outcome of a true success story for many individuals when it comes to social housing and anti-social behaviour. Statistics and heavy research have always been helpful tools when it comes to helping hopeless or near-hopeless individuals out of binds and impossible situation. It, however, can be done if the right tools are in place and the right motivated people are at the wheel of the whole system. It takes patience and a great deal of care to help suffering individuals from going further down a rut and to bring themselves out into the normal public leading a normal life and being as social and successful as can be. It also helps their children in the long run, as it sets life-long examples for these children to follow. Lee, R.E. (2000). Unobtrusive methods in social research. Open University Press. This book covers research in the social sciences. This could be the underlying cause for deviant behaviour in social housing systems. According to Lee (2000), "...admit to socially undesirable behaviour. More recently...yield gains in the reporting...that deviant behaviour was more likely to occur in spaces that were not socially claimed...suggest that behaviour in public places...underpinned by social processes..." This could give the reader a good insight into just why social housing co-exists with non-social behaviour. Oftentimes, many of these factors go hand-in-hand and cause an even bigger problem for federal, state, local authorities to have to deal with. If a home is not socially-monitored, a greater amount of deviant crime can occur at that location, leading the problem to loop back over and over again. Once care tactics and help are put into place, however, this vicious cycle is likely to either slow down drastically or stop (Lee, 2000). Corcoran, J. and J. Walsh. (2006). Clinical assessment and diagnosis in social work practice. Oxford University Press. This book covers the topics of mental illness-classification, mental illness-diagnosis, psychiatric social work, and social services. According to Corcoran and Walsh (2006), "...or illness in a relative...support) 3. Social environment...unemployment) 8. Housing problems...homelessness, poor housing, dangerous...psychological, and social functioning...functioning in a wide range...things in her life...steady income (Social Security...of job) Housing problems..." This book is particularly relevant because it brings in the prospect of mental illness into the picture. All of these factors seem to go together when one is discussing social housing and anti-social behaviour. Those with mental illness, particularly those seeking at help, are at a greater risk of falling into a rut when it comes to social programs versus anti-social behaviour. It is important not to leave these individuals out of the cycle. Cacioppo, J.T. and G.G. Berntston. (2005). Social neuroscience: Key readings. Psychology Press. This book covers the subjects of neuropsychology and social psychology. According to Cacioppo and Bernston (2005), "Neuroscientists and cognitive scientists have collaborated for more than a decade with the common goal of understanding how the mind works. These collaborations have helped unravel puzzles of the mind including aspects of perception, imagery, attention and memory. Many aspects of the mind, however ..." This is particularly important considering that how the mind works can lead to how a person behaves, socially or anti-socially. It can also affect their work ethic and housing options, often leaving them in a poor situation and in a poor neighbourhood with social housing to solely depend upon. Even worse, their neighbors are in the same or worse situation, creating a whole neighbourhood full of the same types of individuals, which can increase the crime and poverty rate of a particular area. There may no be end in sight for these individuals. Works Cited Antisocial Behaviour and Housing. (2010). Communities and Local Government. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingmanagementcare/antisocialbehaviour/ Anti-Social Housing and Why to Be So. (2010). Civitas Blog. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.civitas.org.uk/blog/2005/09/antisocial_housing_and_why_to.html Cacioppo, J.T. and G.G. Berntston. (2005). Social neuroscience: Key readings. Psychology Press. Corby, B. (2006). Applying research in social work practice. Open University Press. Corcoran, J. and J. Walsh. (2006). Clinical assessment and diagnosis in social work practice. Oxford University Press. Fletcher, K. (2006). Partnerships in social care: A handbook for developing effective services. Jessica Kingsley. Housing and anti-social behaviour: A guide for residents. (2007). Communities and Local Government. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/housingbehaviour Lee, R.E. (2000). Unobtrusive methods in social research. Open University Press. Millie, A.; J. Jacobson; E. MacDonald; and M. Hough. (2005). Anti-Social Behaviour Strategies:Finding a Balance. Policy Press. Wilson, W. (2010). Anti-Social Behaviour in Social Housing. Library House of Commons. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/briefings/snsp-00264.pdf Read More