The home secretary and the prime minister have launched their strategy for reducing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour.

Government Response: Home Office

David Blunkett, home secretary, said: "Security is the key to everything we are doing as a department. From the international stage combating threats from terrorists and organised criminal gangs to ridding the local streets of yobs, our plans make people's lives safer and more secure.

"By building a safer society we are strengthening communities, making them more confident and better able to take on the responsibility for their own lives and well-being. In this way we are able to build confidence and reduce fear, including fear of difference and change.

"We will invest in communities and families to help restore a culture of respect and responsibility."

Party Response: Liberal Democrats

Mark Oaten MP said: “It's not the liberal reforms of the 1960s but the legacy of Thatcher's 1980s that Blair should be worried about. The Prime Minister is right to want to build a more cohesive and respectful society, but wrong to think that he can do so through the criminal law alone."

Party Response: Conservative

James Paice MP shadow home affairs spokesman, said: "It is quite unbelievable that there has been nearly one announcement a week from this government on crime and still violent crime, gun crime and anti-social behaviour is on the rise. The truth is, they have run out of ideas. A Conservative government would recruit an extra 40,000 police officers to combat street crime and target those who are making others' lives hell. That's the kind of quantum leap that is needed. Anything else is merely a headline grabbing initiative adding to all the others we have seen more than enough of recently . "

Forum Response: British Youth Council

Blossom Young, chairman of the British Youth Council, said: "BYC believes that politicians must take a more responsible approach when talking about crime, antisocial behaviour and young people. 

"All the political parties are guilty of scaremongering around so-called 'yob culture', helping to fuel hysteria across the country and increasingly vilifying young people. Yet again young people are being talked about as a problem in our society, rather than an important part of it. 

"What we need to remember is that young people are actually one of the largest group who are the victims of crime. 

"The government's 'crack down' on anti-social behaviour, including measures such as curfews, will only serve to alienate young people from their community and the police, whilst doing little to improve the safety of young people or the public at large.  Young people are becoming political scapegoats for the problems in today's society, especially around crime, anti-social behaviour and issues like binge drinking. 

"The government must start properly consulting and listening to the views of young people on issues like this, which directly impact on them.

"But they failed to take into account the views of young people in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill and they have failed again today. Young people can be part of the solution if the government, parliamentarians and the community will stop stereotyping and start to listen.

"We welcome the fact that the government has finally recognised the importance of investing in more facilities for young people.  But this must be part of a comprehensive package of services for young people, with youth services, Connexions, the voluntary sector and young people themselves working together to achieve real gain for young people.

"The government shouldn't talk about valuing young people and giving them extra services on the one hand if they are also helping to stir up the negative image of young people on the other. Only by engaging and actively involving young people in society can we start to build more cohesive, safer communities."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

Richard Wilson, head of business policy at the Institute of Directors, said: "All too often crime is seen as something that happens just to individuals. In fact, it can also impact on businesses.

"Surveys of IoD members have shown that many businesses are hurt by criminal behaviour, including vandalism,
theft and graffiti. Consequently, the IoD welcomes the government's commitment to retain police numbers at 138,000 - we need more policemen on the streets tackling and deterring crime.

"However, the government needs to go much further: the business community wants to see more policemen and policewomen, the rigorous enforcement of non-custodial sentences (such as fines) and a crack down on yobbish behaviour.

"Unless order reigns in a given community, businesses will not thrive, consumers will suffer and unemployment will be greater than it needs to be."

Forum Response: Alcohol Concern

A spokesman for Alcohol Concern said: "Alcohol Concern very much welcomes this crackdown as a sign of the government's determination to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related crime and disorder, which blights so many communities.

"It is extremely important that the authorities and the public alike are aware of the staggering impact alcohol misuse makes on huge numbers of individuals, and their communities, around the country, as well the massive toll on our public services, not least the police.