Trading Standards Mini-site
Youth causing annoyance
A common cause of complaint in local communities is associated with youths causing annoyance or anti-social behaviour. This annoyance is exacerbated when the youths are drunk or have access to fireworks, spray paints, knives, firearms or other dangerous products. Over recent years, there has been an expansion of regulatory controls on access children have to these products and Trading Standards Services are responsible for enforcing many of these.
However, the impact Trading Standards can have on reducing access children have to these goods is not solely related to crime and disorder. There is substantial evidence to show that, if children can be prevented from starting to smoke, from drinking or sniffing glues, they are far less likely to become dependant on these in later life and, consequently have significantly improved health. Evidence also suggests that they are more attentive at school and achieve a higher standard of education.
All local strategies have an element of youth disorder within them. Trading Standards is ideally placed to engage with that agenda and have a substantial impact on reducing the problem in local communities.
Case Study Links
OLDHAM FIREWORK SAFETY CAMPAIGN
In 2003, Oldham had the highest number of injuries caused by fireworks for any Borough in the country. This was coupled with a rapid increase in anti-social behaviour and youths causing annoyance with fireworks.
To combat this problem, the Oldham Against Crime Partnership deployed firework safety patrols as a part of a concerted firework safety campaign led by the Council’s Trading Standards Department. This high-visibility approach and targeting of the retail supply chain for fireworks led to the seizure of 5,200 illegal fireworks and a 32% year-on-year reduction in the numbers of youths causing annoyance with fireworks.
MINOR SALES, MAJOR CONSEQUENCES
Norfolk County Council led on a project tackling under age sales of restricted goods using the problem solving triangle. The project used problem solving crime reduction methodology. From a preliminary analysis key partners and hotspots were identified, then a matrix of multi-agency interventions developed with key partners.
Key partners included the Crime and Disorder Partnerships, Police, Health, Education, Youth service and local community groups. A range of resources were produced for traders, including an information pack, leaflets as well as training seminars. Specialist agencies engaged young people in a range of activities, they created a DVD, magazine, and educational resources for schools. A toolkit for practitioners is also available.
KENT CONNEXIONS
In November 2003, Kent County Council Trading Standards department launched the new DfES/ CAPITA Connexions card as a means of Proof of Age. Alongside this, a revolutionary pocket sized card reader was also launched to assist licensed premises to verify the integrity of the Connexions cards, when produced as Proof of Age.
The take up of the card by young people has outstripped any proof of age card seen on the market in Kent since the beginning of these schemes by Citizen Card, Portman and Validate. We now have 17,192 Connexions cards in circulation in addition to 8,735 Citizen Cards (accumulative figures since 2001/2). Much of this is down to the DfES and CAPITA’s promotion of the Connexions learning rewards scheme and school advisors visiting schools. However, it has only been recent (2003) that the scheme has had the added benefit of being promoted by Trading Standards as a means to identify the age of a young person.
Due to the enthusiasm both from young people and premises, CAPITA have now produced application forms that are available in stores, pubs, clubs, youth centres, youth access points and libraries.
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