What is Anti-Social Behaviour?

Anti-social behaviour is defined as 'Conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person' (Section 105(4) of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014).

But what does this mean? Find out more about how we classify anti-social behaviour and the many activities that it covers.

What constitutes anti-social behaviour?

There are three main categories for anti-social behaviour, depending on how many people are affected:

• Personal anti-social behaviour is when a person targets a specific individual or group.
• Nuisance anti-social behaviour is when a person causes trouble, annoyance or suffering to a community.
• Environmental anti-social behaviour is when a person's actions affect the wider environment, such as public spaces or buildings.