Prime Minister Tony Blair's flagship Respect agenda promises a raft of new measures to tackle crime. Reporter BOBBIE HOUGH investigates the response in South Cheshire.

Susie Mitchell, the idea of respect has always been at the heart of tackling the escalating problem of petty crime and vandalism in Crewe.

She is the founder of Brook-house Urban Garden Scheme (BUGS) which is a non-profit community group based on the Brookhouse allotments.

The group was formed in 2002, for youngsters aged between seven and 19 from the Brookhouse Estate, aimed at teaching learning skills and respect for the environment.

Susie, 49, said: 'A lot of kids come off the estate. Some have been in trouble with the police in the past and some have trouble at home, but that is not a problem. We have a culture of mutual respect and it is important it works both ways.

'We respect them and they respect us. Nobody swears and there is no violence. We all work together. Now these kids keep out of trouble.'

Despite her efforts, the group has been the target of seven break-ins since it was formed along with numerous acts of vandalism, with thugs targeting the allotments.

'It is disappointing that we are being targeted by vandals.

'On this particular occasion, though, people could not just blame the kids because the kids are the ones being targeted.'

Susie fears Tony Blair's Respect agenda will not be the answer to cutting out crime.

She said: 'People will like the idea of these proposals. People who have been the target of anti-social behaviour want to see something being done to.

'To me, though, this is just slapping a plaster on a gaping wound.

'If we really want to stop this happening then let's find out why it is happening.

'Punishment without under-standing is simply quite pointless.

'We need to look at why these kids are acting in this way. If parents need help then let's help them.

'There is obviously a problem. We have 12 and 13-year-olds who are alcoholics and there are kids out on the street who are vandalising and causing trouble.

'In Crewe there has been an explosion of this type of crime, and we have been the victims.

'We have to look and say Anti-Social Behaviour Orders didn't work as they just moved the trouble-makers from one place to the other.

'There is obviously something wrong if children are out on the streets and causing trouble. But perhaps the biggest problem is leading by example.

'It is not youngsters that have changed, it is our attitudes that have changed.

'We are asking these kids to be juveniles for too long. We give them power at a young age but no responsibilities and opportunities. Sometimes that means they have no respect.'

For Susie it is schemes like BUGS that will help achieve Labour's policy of Respect by targeting the problem at the core.

She wants to see less reactive and more proactive measures to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

She said: 'At BUGS we have mutual respect and that's why it works. We treat them properly and encourage them and that way they respect us.

'In society we empower kids too early. They can get away with anything they want and nothing can be done about it. It does not work both ways.

'We are looking as this problem totally backwards. If we engage with the kids at an earlier age we can tackle anti-social behaviour from a much earlier age.

'We can give the schools and police more power but that does not get to the root of the problem.

'These measures and the ASBO schemes seem to me like an attempt at a one-hit wonder that can cure all the problems.'

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RESPECT PLAN?

We welcome your views.

You can write to us at The Chronicle, 32-34 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE, fax us on 01270 256760, or e-mail us at: crewe.news@cheshirenews.co.uk