Teenagers hanging around on street corners is a pretty unremarkable phenomenon, and by no means new. Were I to ask which of you hadn鈥檛 undertaken at least some kerbside loafing in your teens, I wouldn鈥檛 expect a bulging post bag.

So why does the current generation of juveniles feature so prominently in the Home Office鈥檚 thinking? Do its new demands and targets to curb their antisocial behaviour mean youngsters are to replace asylum seekers and single parents as populist scapegoats, or has the government finally pinned down the society鈥檚 most malevolent group?

What is certain is that these measures, including new powers permitting snap inspections of RSLs鈥� processes for tackling nuisance (page 7), will create more administration for housing providers, taking time away from serving tenants鈥� needs.

And where will funding come from for the responsibility to cut crime by the Home Office target of 15% come from?

These latest plans still do not provide a total solution to the legal problems and astronomical costs that so often hold up issuing antisocial behaviour orders.
As we report on page 24, the police can now march home teenagers who are hanging around in designated 鈥渄ispersal鈥� areas. Aside from the human rights issues, this approach runs a very serious risk of penalising the innocent while merely moving along those who are creating problems.

Of course, there are teenagers who wreck the quality of life for their neighbours and they deserve to be stopped and, when necessary, punished. The proposed 20,000 extra police community support officers should help this.

But, despite the best efforts of tabloid papers, we must not forget that the fear of crime far outweighs the likelihood of a individual falling victim to a crime. High-profile cases involving juveniles have skewed the public perception, fuelling a cycle of fear that has led to the Home Office鈥檚 actions.

Why does the current generation of juveniles feature so prominently in the Home Office鈥檚 thinking?

In fact, the views of those working with younger people suggest their conduct is no worse than that of previous generations of teenagers.

It鈥檚 more likely that a general breakdown in community, bringing about mistrust and fear, has heightened the issue.

You may have spotted a new face and name at the top of this page. This week, I took over the editor鈥檚 chair at Housing Today, having previously edited a magazine for NHS professionals.

I鈥檓 looking forward to meeting as many readers as possible and would welcome your opinions on your jobs and the sector as a whole. I鈥檓 also keen to hear your views on what we cover in the magazine, and how. Feel free to contact me on sbagshaw@cmpinformation.com or 020 7921 8708.

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Housing Today