JUST Lincolnshire was pleased to receive funding from the Safer Street’s fund via the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner. The fund specifically targets work around anti-social behaviour; it’s causes, impacts and how it can be tackled.

Our project, A Space Between, focused on two market towns, Sleaford and Spalding and the Abbey Ward District in the city of Lincoln.

The project provided a safe space for ‘listening events’ and ‘courageous conversations’ to explore this issue and to develop a dedicated online presence and resource. These events gave residents the time and space to talk through the issues both together and with relevant stakeholders. The project also connected groups with the potential to work together. In many cases, it has provided an opportunity for contributors to have their voice heard and their experiences recorded. From post it notes to oral testimony, these thoughts and contributions will be hosted on our new A Space Between website resource for further learning and reflection.

It has been great to work with a range of partners in developing and delivering this project. We have worked with Electric Egg who have developed a creative and innovative approach to ensuring that individual stories are captured in a way that is respectful yet conveying a powerful and challenging message. This has involved post it note inspired artworks displayed in shop fronts and windows, audio recordings with residents and a series of three short films, one for each community. These audio recordings have been made at events but also directly asking people on the streets what their feelings are on the issues. This has included conversations around what anti-social behaviour is to each individual but also greater depth on the issues pertinent to each community.

It was clear from this project that there were almost as many definitions of ASB as there were people we talked to. As one of the participants said ““Anti-social behaviour, the breadth of it and the definition is so broad.”

Lincolnshire County Council provide the following statement:

Anti-social behaviour is defined by law as conduct that has caused or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person. It covers many types of behaviour that vary in nature and severity, many of which are open to interpretation. Thus, what is considered anti-social by one person can be acceptable to another.

Types of behaviour that could constitute as antisocial behaviour include (but are not limited to):

• noise nuisance

• intimidation and, or threatening behaviour

• littering or fly-tipping

• vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property or vehicles

• using or dealing drugs

• street drinking

• rowdy behaviour in public

• abandoned or burnt-out cars

• arson

• neighbour nuisance