Who's in the hood?

An open day in Stevenage town centre today aimed to show that anti-social behaviour is not a big problem in Stevenage and that young people, who are often accused of anti-social behaviour, are no more likely to be perpetrators than other age groups.

An open day in Stevenage town centre today (Thursday 23 September) aimed to show that anti-social behaviour is not a big problem in Stevenage and that young people, who are often accused of anti-social behaviour, are no more likely to be perpetrators than other age groups.

Everyone taking part in the event wore a hooded top to address the ‘hoodie’ stereotype. Staff from Stevenage Borough Council, Stevenage Homes and Hertfordshire Constabulary were on hand to discuss any anti-social behaviour problems that people are experiencing, and offer advice on security and crime reduction. They were joined by representatives of the Hertfordshire Youth Offending Team, students from Thomas Alleyne School, coaches from Stevenage Football Club and Boro Bear.

The event was organised by SoSafe, Stevenage’s community safety partnership, to challenge perceptions of anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Richard Henry, Executive Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, said, “The vast majority of young people in Stevenage are decent and law abiding, they might be kicking a ball around or being a bit noisy but they aren’t causing any trouble, they’re just enjoying their time with their friends. We are hoping that this event will help to address people’s misconceptions, particularly those about ‘hoodies’.”