ONE of the darker aspects of the start of the 21st Century has been number of residents whose lives are being made a misery by persistent anti-social behaviour.

It's questionable whether the problem has actually grown since the Millennium began, or whether the public has simply had enough and decided to make a big noise about it.

All we can be certain of is that barely a day goes by when the issue isn't in the headlines, or someone, somewhere in the city becomes a victim.

In the past year, amid much politicking and chin-rubbing, anti-social behaviour orders have become a part of our culture.

If the evidence of recent weeks is a guide, our courts have heard the growing rumbles of discontent and responded.

Today, we salute Worcester Community Housing, which took control of the city council's housing stock at the beginning of the month.

In pledging to evict a tenant family if they don't control their young hooligan son, they've laid down a marker for those handful of people who have no regard for the rules of law or society.

WCH's Warndon manager, Bruce Mourby, isn't anticipating much criticism of the threat to evict the family, and neither should he.

For too long, the community has, effectively, given such people an open invitation to cause trouble, simply because the will and the means to deal with them has been lacking.

Now the boot's on the other foot. WCH has sent this message to every tenant: If you don't control your children, be prepared to suffer the consequences.