http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4595788.stm
Quote:
Blair unveils his 'respect' plans
People could be evicted from their own homes for three months if they are nuisance neighbours, under a new action plan for Tony Blair's "respect agenda".
Police could also get new powers to deliver on-the-spot fines, and there would be more parenting orders.
The plan would also allow the public to grill police about anti-social behaviour and demand tougher action.
Mr Blair said the plans were not a "gimmick" but would help "take back the streets for the law-abiding majority".
Existing laws mean "crack houses" used by drug addicts can already be shut down.
Ministers are now consulting on extending the idea so people can be evicted from their homes for three months.
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Eviction by court order would be a "last resort", says the government but it could, for example, be used against students who annoy their neighbours with loud music.
Fines for owner-occupiers and others not on housing benefit who persist with anti-social behaviour are also being considered.
Burden of proof
Mr Blair set up a "respect" task force last year and the plans are the first real fruits of its work, with 16 ministers dispatched around the country to spread the message.
In a speech in Downing Street, the prime minister said traditional justice measures simply were not working.
MAIN MEASURES
Consulting on idea of evicting nuisance families from their homes for three months
Police and councils to have to hold "face the people" sessions - with the public able to demand tougher action
More use of parenting orders and a new national parenting academy to train officials on giving advice
Youth opportunity cards giving discounts on activities for youngsters doing voluntary work
New mentoring schemes, including one using top class athletes
Local councils to have to put family support networks in place
New nationwide non-emergency telephone number to make it easier to report nuisance behaviour
For example, somebody spitting at an old lady in the street would not be prosecuted because it used too much police time and the only result was a fine.
Mr Blair accepted that on-the-spot fines for some offences reversed the principle that people were innocent until proven guilty.
But he argued: "To get on top of 21st century crime we need to accept that what works in practice, in reality on the streets, is a measure of summary powers with right of appeal alongside the traditional court processes."
He stressed that the vast majority of people, including young people and families on low incomes, did respect each other.
'Face the people'
The plans would force police officers and council officials to hold "face the people" sessions to explain what action they were taking.
Where local people were not satisfied, they could ask new local scrutiny committees to investigate through "community calls to action".
HAVE YOUR SAY
If any government or group of people wants to promote a more respectful society, it is admirable and needs supporting
K. Woollett, Southampton
The police and other agencies would have a duty to respond to the committees' findings.
As well as punitive measures, ministers insist they want to provide help families improve their behaviour.
Conservative leader David Cameron said Mr Blair had been tough neither on crime nor its causes.
'Pessimistic'
As he met voluntary group leaders in London, he said: "The real respect agenda must include long-term solutions to the causes of social breakdown, not just short-term sanctions and punishment.
"The real respect agenda must be based on optimism about the ability of people and communities to create civilised lives for themselves, rather than a pessimistic view of human nature."
Mr Cameron wants to make it easier for voluntary groups to pioneer new measures.
And he plans to create a national school leaver programme to give every young person the chance to take part in voluntary work in Britain or abroad.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said making communities safer and helping families was an enormous challenge.
He warned: "It cannot be achieved with this government's usual mish-mash of gimmicks and spin."
The Parentline Plus charity argued that threats of punishments to parents could make them less willing to seek help before their families reached crisis.
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We have a 'thug' problem here in the UK, and this is the governments initiative to tackle it, the thing that interested me was the 'burden of proof' aspect - a person is no longer innocent until proven guilty, admitedly only for what would be classed as minor crimes this is still a notable shift in the Law which I'm not sure about.
Im not sure if the problems we have with these thugs/kids can be effectively dealt with by only tackling the crimes they, there needs to be some fundamental shift in how we foster respect and a sense of responsibility for society from the start.