Examining victims’ experiences of Community Protection Notices in managing anti-social behaviour

Abstract

The Community Protection Notice (CPN) is a civil order designed to protect communities from anti-social behaviour (ASB) within England and Wales by addressing unreasonable and persistent conduct, which has ‘a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality’. Introduced under the ‘Putting Victims First’ agenda and the ASB, Crime and Policing Act (2014), the civil order can impose prohibitions alongside positive requirements upon any person aged 16 or over, business, or organisation. Before a CPN is issued, a Community Protection Warning (CPW) must be put in place by the police, local authority, social housing provider, or any other authorised persons with delegated power from the local authority. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study that used semi-structured interviews to explore ASB victims’ experiences of CPWs/CPNs for the first time. Discussions focus upon the impact of the ASB, authorities’ responses, perceived effectiveness of CPWs/CPNs, and recommendations for change. Significant concerns emerge from the victims’ constructions of the CPN process regarding transparency, accountability, the correctability of requirements imposed, and victim involvement. The findings signify the need for an authentically restorative approach to ASB with three empirically grounded recommendations provided that account for ASB victims’ needs and vulnerabilities.