Vicky Heap

Putting victims first? : a critique of Coalition anti-social behaviour policy

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) policy was not pursued by the Conservative–Liberal Democrat Coalition government with the same vigour as their New Labour predecessors. Where developments did take place a clear shift in emphasis was apparent, with the needs of ASB victims elevated to the forefront of policy. This article critically appraises two major developments that showcase the Coalition government’s attempts to overhaul ASB policy to ‘put victims first’, namely: the changes to call handling and case management processes, and the Community Trigger, which forces the authorities to review their responses to complaints of ASB in circumstances where victims feel they have been ignored. These particular policies aim to prioritise victims’ needs; however, it is argued the new victim-focus: is diluted by competing Coalition ASB agendas, demonstrates little connection between rhetoric and reality, provides limited redress for all victims and fails to coalesce with established attempts to tackle perpetrators of ASB.

Victims as vote-winners? The antisocial behaviour/ hate crime nexus

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) and hate crime have a number of connections: both are relatively recent notions, both are underpinned by their subjective nature and both have laid the foundational concepts for reimagining the ‘victim’ in the criminal justice system. Over the past two decades, victims of crime and ASB have been promoted to the forefront of criminal justice policy developments. The status of victims has been elevated, but in a prescriptive manner that determines the most appropriate course of action. This paper explores whether continued efforts by the coalition to elevate victims’ status will actually benefit victims, or are a case of political posturing to secure the populist law and order vote, using the ASB/hate crime nexus as an example.

“We've got to be tough, we've got to be robust, we've got to score a clear line between right and wrong right through the heart of this country”: can and should the post‐riot populist rhetoric be translated into reality?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise how the coalition government intends to respond to the riots and disorder that took place in England in 2011, with particular reference to conduct regulation legislation and policy.Design/methodology/approach – Coalition government policies announced post‐riots have been reflected upon and considered alongside flagship policies from the previous New Labour government (1997‐2010), as well as coalition policies introduced when they came to power in May, 2010.Findings – Coalition policy post‐riots appears to have shifted from a localism agenda, to be replaced by a default reliance upon conduct regulation directed by central government. Furthermore, a number of these rhetoric laden policies are perceived to lack the focus and detail required to provide an effective policy response.Originality/value – Post‐riot policy announcements are placed in the wider criminal justice context, highlighting some of the practical issues that may require considerat...

Prioritized Political Focus: ASB and Hate Crime

Chapter 3 adopts a prioritized focus on ASB and hate crime policy to investigate contemporary policy developments in light of the ‘victim-focused’ rhetoric espoused by the Coalition government. A critical overview of political interventions in these areas illustrates how right-realist ideology is informing enhanced criminalization or control under the guise of being victim-focused. The near-farcical fluctuation in political responses to ASB has been echoed by the conveyer-belt approach to defining acronyms designed to be synonymous with this particular Coalition government, whilst recent proposals to enhance and extend hate crime sanctions indicate that policy approaches remain responsive, as opposed to preventative, in this domain

Victims as Vote Winners

Chapter 2 explores the notion of victims as vote winners to evaluate the recent socio-political context in which policies and practices concerning victims have emerged. The Coalition government’s neoliberal agenda is explored in relation to its impact on victims’ services and the increasing politicization of victimization. The analysis of victims’ ‘figureheads’ invokes earlier considerations of governance and responsibility to assess the impact these figureheads have on victims. This ‘politicization’ critique suggests that a strategic co-opting of victims’ issues may be warranted in light of a need to deflect public attention away from a growing media interest in ‘political deviance’ illustrated through government ministers’ engagement in fraudulently claiming expenses.