Can effective housing management policies address anti-social behaviour?

Abstract

This bulletin is based on AHURI project 40163 Developing effective housing management policies to address problems of anti-social behaviour. “Copyright 1970 AHURI Limited. Published version of the paper reproduced here with permission from the publisher.” This is the publisher's copryight version of this article, the original can be found at: http://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/research-and-policy-bulletins/38Anti-social behaviour is a generic term used to describe activities ranging from littering to serious forms of harassment, which can negatively impact on the neighbourhoods in which they occur. There are competing views on the causes of anti-social behaviour and the best way to tackle these types of activities. On the one hand, some argue that problems of anti-social behaviour are a consequence of pover ty and can therefore only be properly addressed by increasing resources and material benefits. Others argue that the problems of anti-social behaviour cannot be resolved simply at a structural level and that individual responses are required, even if this means targeting particular households. This study set out to understand the first-hand perspectives of tenants, housing managers and law enforcement agencies on problems of anti-social behaviour in public housing estates and to evaluate the usefulness of existing procedures for addressing anti-social behaviour in these areas.This material was produced with funding from the Australian Government and the Australian States and Territories. AHURI Ltd gratefully acknowledges the financial and other support it has received from the Australian, State and Territory Governments, without which this work would not have been possible