Civil injunction
Civil injunction is a civil power to stop a person’s ASB escalating and set a clear standard of behaviour. Can include prohibitions and positive requirements. For perpetrators aged 10 or over.
- Who can issue/apply: Various agencies.
- Grounds: Non-housing related ASB – likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress or housing ASB that could cause nuisance and annoyance.
- Typical uses: Drug or alcohol related ASB harassment, noise (tenure-neutral), vandalism, aggressive begging etc.
Criminal Behaviour Order
Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) is a court order to tackle AB, which is applied following a conviction to any criminal offence. Can include prohibitions and positive requirements.
- Who can issue/apply: CPS (council or police can request).
- Grounds: Can prevent harassment, alarm or distress if perpetrator committed criminal offence and caused harassment, alarm or distress.
- Typical uses: Harassment, hate crime and drunken or rowdy behaviour.
Dispersal powers
Dispersal powers are powers to remove a person from a specific location for up to 48 hours if authorised by a police inspector or above.
- Who can issue/apply: Police (including PCSOs in some forces).
- Grounds: Committing (or likely to commit) harassment, alarm or distress, or crime or disorder in a public place.
- Typical uses: Alcohol or drug related ASB, lighting fires, illegal raves etc.
Community protection notice
Community protection notice (CPN) is a notice to stop persistently anti-social individuals, businesses or organisations. Can include requirements to stop or do things or take steps to avoid further ASB.
- Who can issue/apply: Council, police (including PCSOs in some forces), some social landlords.
- Grounds: Persistent or continuing conduct which negatively affects community’s quality of life.
- Typical uses: Graffiti, dog fouling, persistent begging, noise disturbance etc.
Public Spaces Protection Order
Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is a type of order designed to protect public spaces from persistently anti-social individuals or groups. Can include reasonable restrictions and requirements.
- Who can issue/apply: Council (in consultation with relevant parties).
- Grounds: Unreasonable behaviour which is (or is likely to be) persistent or continuing and has (or likely to have) a detrimental effect on the local community’s quality of life.
- Typical uses: Dog fouling, alcohol or drug related ASB etc.
Closure powers
Closure powers refer to the power to close premises for up to 48 hours out of court (closure notice) or up to 6 months via court (closure order).
- Who can issue/apply: Police and council
- Grounds: Premises used (or likely to be used) to cause nuisance or disorder.
- Typical uses: Premises where ASB is causing nuisance or disorder – such as noisy premises, environmental pollution, drug or alcohol related etc.
Absolute ground for possession
Absolute ground for possession is a type of power which offers protection and faster relief to victims by quickly evicting the most anti-social tenants.
- Who can issue/apply: Social landlords (council and housing associations) and private landlords.
- Grounds: The tenant, a household member or person visiting has been convicted for serious offence or has breached certain ASB interventions.
- Typical uses: Drug dealing