New guidance 'Tackling Street Drinking' [pdf] has been released by a consortium of Police Crime Commissioners (PCCs), which aims to 'reduce the incidents of, and burden from, street drinking and to improve the interventions provided to street drinkers themselves.'
The guidance states that street drinking is a 'widespread and persistent problem', and should be tackled on the basis of negative effects on those who witness it including children, the effect on local businesses, and costs incurred to the public sector.
As such the report identified 'nine areas of action that PCCs can pursue to make a difference':
- Support or lead the development of a local consensus on tackling street drinking;
- Encourage the establishment of multi-agency groups focused on street drinkers high impact change resistant drinkers;
- Encourage the commissioning of alcohol services which include a focus on change resistant drinkers e.g. services which prioritise and assertively engage this client group;
- Encourage the appropriate use of legal powers such as civil injunctions by ensuring that they target individuals with both controls on their drinking and requirements to engage with interventions;
- Build partnerships with the retail trade to tackle street drinkers;
- Broker agreements between mental health and substance misuse services on the management of these clients who often fall between the two services;
- Ensure a constructive pathway exists from prisons and hospitals into the community for street drinkers;
- Encourage staff training in relevant approaches with street drinkers / change resistant drinkers;
- Ensure performance indicators are built in to any initiative.
The guidance is supported by a research document [pdf] which provides further details on the evidence, resources and best practice examples.
New strategy, same challenges?
As the new guidance acknowledges, street drinking is often contentious and politicised issue, particularly where local residents are active in calling for action. Not explicitly mentioned in the guidance though, street drinking itself is not illegal rather than the anti-social behaviour (ASB) that it may be associated with, often creating challenges for agreeing specific goals and actions in localities.
As such, the popularity of 'Alcohol Control Zones' (technically DPPOs) rose exponentially following the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 as local areas sought to equip police with the powers to confiscate alcohol in public places - 870 zones were in place as of 2014. Again though, DPPOs where controversial as larger and larger areas or whole boroughs were designated to counter displacement. Police were also sometimes accused of over-zealously confiscating alcohol rather than only where ASB was witnessed, with questions being asked over whether wine drinking pick-nickers should not also be targeted.
DPPOs though gave local areas an enforcement option that was sought after, particularly where efforts to design out or engage street drinkers had not been successful. Some have pointed out that many street drinkers are not so by choice, but were victims of ever increasing on-trade prices making pubs less and less affordable, with a 2007 JRF report exploring The impact of enforcement on street users in England.
A 2009 briefing paper, Street drinking: enforcement versus support - finding the balance? [pdf] set out many of these same issues identified within the new PCC guidance, with carefully planned multi-agency responses required for achieving genuine solutions. Arguably the updated briefing was needed at least to present the issue within the current legislative and strategic landscape, but the same fundamental questions of balancing politics, enforcement, support and legal options may remain.
The guidance clearly advocates use of 'legal powers targeted at both geographical areas and identified individuals', mostly contained within the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. In tandem, it states the 'best solution to street drinking is to encourage the drinkers to change their behaviour', highlighting 'Blue Light' projects which operate on the philosophy that there are ways to engage 'change resistant drinkers' more effectively.
Working in partnership with the retail trade is also advised, perhaps as much a reflection of the somewhat controversial national emphasis on partnership activity, as the extent of evidence proving local impact. Developments have taken place over recent years in this area, particularly the popularity of 'Reducing the Strength' style voluntary initiatives. Less so in the area of sales to drunks though where despite examples of possible success, partnership action appears uncommon to date.
Street drinking - up or down?
Whilst a report written on behalf of and for PCCs may be expected to fall more on the more assertive side, an emphasis on the need for suitable treatment pathways, particularly addressing mental health needs, is also outlined. Calls for a national actions include a commitment to understand the numbers of street drinkers as well as championing investment in services that address their needs. Whilst the guidance itself is quiet on the issue of pricing, the research document identifies its significance in influencing street drinkers choices. Indeed the issue of white ciders, street drinking and minimum pricing are certain to be around in 2017.
See here for all Street Drinking tagged Alcohol Policy UK posts.
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