Three strikes and you're out

Underage drinking in public places is being tackled across the borough in an innovative 'three strikes' approach.

The Royal Borough's Anti-Social Behaviour and Drug and Alcohol Action Teams have joined Thames Valley Police and T2 to launch the three-stage process on Monday 22 August.

This aims to identify young people who are at greater risk of developing a drink problem and to reduce anti-social behaviour caused by young people who are inebriated.

If the police catch a young person under 18 drinking they will confiscate the alcohol and take the name and address of the young person. The process is as follows:

First time: A letter setting out the three-stage process will be sent to their parents/carers.

Second time: The police will carry out a home visit to speak to the parents/carers of the young person.

Third time: An Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC) will be developed requiring a full assessment with the young person's substance misuse worker at T2 and at least one alcohol awareness session.

Yellow cards outlining this process will be handed out to young people and posters will be distributed to youth centres and secondary schools around the borough at the start of the new term.

The three strikes initiative is just one of a number of actions being taken to address the problems of underage drinking in the Royal Borough. The police already target 'hot spots' around the borough on Friday and Saturday nights as part of Operations Legless and Lawless in an effort to confiscate alcohol from under-18s before they can get drunk.

T2, the borough's drug and alcohol treatment service, offers advice, information and treatment for those with substance misuse issues and their family and friends.

Cllr Phill Bicknell, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Community Safety, said: "Alcohol-induced anti-social behaviour negatively impacts on the quality of life for young and old alike. This joint initiative takes a progressively firm stance against those who will not change their behaviour and demonstrates the commitment of all agencies involved in stamping out this type of anti-social behaviour."

Cllr Simon Dudley, Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, said: "Alcohol can be a major factor in incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage by young people in the borough.

"Drinking often leads to risky and damaging behaviour and can also have a serious impact on a young person's health.

"This is a really good example of partnership working and will hopefully help us to help young people to address their drinking. The effects of alcohol are worse on young people whose bodies are still developing."

Supt Tim De Meyer, Local Police Area Commander, said: "Underage drinking is a major cause of thuggish behaviour and crime. This new system will reduce these offences, which cause so much distress to residents."

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