Antisocial behaviour

What is Antisocial behaviour?

Anti-social behaviour includes everything from dog fouling and littering to substance abuse and serious harassment. It damages people’s quality of life, and it damages our communities.

The Anti-social Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 says that Anti-social behaviour is when someone acts in a way that "causes or is likely to cause alarm or distress to anyone, or behaves in a way likely to cause alarm or distress to at least one person, not of the same household as them.”

Examples of Antisocial behaviour can include:

• Abuse and harassment
• Drug dealing
• Vandalism and graffiti
• Domestic noise (amplified noise, noisy parties, DIY, playing musical instruments or dogs barking etc.)
• Non-domestic noise (commercial noise, construction noise, car alarms etc.)
• Threatening or violent behaviour

Antisocial behaviour is not always a crime but incidents of violence, suspected drug dealing, and hate crimes should always be reported to the Police.