Straw attacks "incivility" which leads to higher crime rates

Straw Re-affirms Committment to Zero Tolerance

Mr Straw said disorder and "incivility" in a locality were more important pointers to the incidence of street crime than whether or not it was an inner city area.

The figures showed that the chances of being a victim of violent crime were four times greater in a disorderly neighbourhood than an orderly one. "Incivility, not inner city location, is the key to high crime," he said. "The essence of 'zero tolerance' is that anti-social activity, acts of vandalism and rowdy, loutish behaviour should not be tolerated because they severely damage the quality of people's lives and lead on, if unchecked, to much more serious criminal behaviour.

"A 'zero tolerance' strategy will be an integral part of the Government's plans for tackling disorder and incivility." Mr Straw, who coupled his speech with a visit to the city's run-down Northfields housing estate, was developing themes he first put forward in Opposition when he criticised aggressive beggars, winos and "squeegee merchants".

Mr Straw also highlighted Government measures to curb youth crime in the forthcoming Crime and Disorder Bill to be published later this year. They include Parental Responsibility Orders to make parents responsible for the unruly behaviour of their children, a new "fast track" youth justice system and measures to enable police to help victims of persistent threatening and disruptive behaviour.