POLICE are seeking the public's views to help tackle the growing problem of youth disorder on housing estates in Kendal and Ulverston, reports Mike Addison.

Officers have spoken to 263 young people and warned them about their anti-social activities since July 2002 and the parents of 48 of the youngsters have had to be informed about their child's subsequent bad behaviour.

In an effort to clamp down on the nuisance, a questionnaire (see questions below) has been designed by the police, in conjunction with the South Lakeland Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, encouraging people to detail their experiences of disorder and suggest ways it can be tackled.

"Anti-social behaviour can have a devastating effect on people in the community but our message is that all of these young people are somebody's children and we encourage people filling in this questionnaire and who have teenage children to ask the question: Where are our children tonight?' said PC Paul Mellard, of the Kendal COPS (community orientated problem solving) team.

"Quite often the anti-social behaviour experienced in South Lakeland which has included drunkenness, abusive language, intimidation and criminal damage such as graffiti is conducted by a minority of teenagers, both male and female."

The COPS team has received £10,000 worth of funding from the Safer Communities Initiative to provide enhanced high-visibility police patrols in both Kendal and Ulverston. The priority wards suffering most anti-social behaviour problems are Kendal Fell,

Underley, Highgate, Ulverston North and Ulverston East.

PC Mellard said anti-social behaviour had a negative effect on communities and increased people's fear and perception of crime.

The results of the questionnaire will be used to support the "It's your choice" project a five-point action plan which police say is having an impact on diverting young people away from anti-social behaviour by making them recognise its impact on others.

The questionnaire is available on page 11 of the January 17 Westmorland Gazette. Feel free to copy these questions into an email, answer them and forward to the the Web Editor at digital.media@kendal.newsquest.co.uk. Your answers will be passed on to the COPS team.

YOUTH DISORDER QUESTIONNARE ASKS:

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR?

HAVE YOU HAD EXPERIENCE OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR?

IF YES, WHERE AND WHEN?

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO SPEAK TO THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED?

IF SO, WHAT RESULTS DID IT HAVE?

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE CAUSES?

CAN YOU SUGGEST ANY SOLUTIONS?

HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY POLICE PATROLS IN YOUR AREA?

ANY OTHER COMMENTS?

January 17, 2003 15:30