Law has overlooked communities fighting yob culture: Blunkett

The law has shifted too far in favour of the individual and is overlooking communities trying to rid themselves from the blight of anti-social yobs, the Home Secretary has said today.

Speaking at the annual conference of the National Community Safety Network in Sheffield, David Blunkett said that the law-abiding majority needed to feel that their rights were just as important and should have the confidence to reassert their right to live peacefully, free from danger and harassment.

Mr Blunkett said: "The communities who have put up with the actions of an anti-social minority have had their voice ignored for too long. The rights we hold in common are as important as individual rights and communities must be encouraged to exert them.

"It is no surprise, given the history of the past 200 years, that the rights of the individual over the state have taken precedence. However, in a new century we need to be sure that we still have the balance right and that communities made to suffer by the minority feel they can speak up and expect things to change.

The Home Secretary said that all stakeholders had to take a "hands-on approach" to asserting the rights of the community.

In a round up of Labour's record on crime prevention and enforcement, Mr Blunkett said that, as police numbers had increased by 12,500 since Labour came to power, and there were nearly 4,000 Community Support Officers on patrol, communities had been given more "visible support and reassurance".

The Home Secretary also said that the Anti-social Behaviour Act had made a "real difference to neighbourhoods up and down the country" and over 2,400 anti-social behaviour orders, 6,000 child curfew orders and 150 dispersal orders had now been issued.

He added: "The use of anti-social behaviour orders alongside support for parents through parenting orders, and preventative work to steer young people into training courses, education and volunteering is already making a difference to the numbers of young people getting involved with anti-social behaviour."

(gmcg/mb)