How to keep an incident diary
We can only act against perpetrators of anti-social behaviour if we have evidence. You can help by keeping an accurate, detailed diary of everything that you witness.
How to keep the diary:
- This diary is your own personal record of what you see or hear. If other people (including members of your own household) have witnessed anything they must put it into their own diary. It would help to make a note of any other people who witnessed an incident.
- Fill in the diary as soon as possible after the incident occurs.
- Fill in one row for each separate incident, even if they happen on the same day. If you cannot fit all the details of one incident into one row, continue down into the next row and write ‘incident continued’ in the date and time column.
- It is important to make a note of the date and time of the incident.
- Enter details of the incident, including who did it and where it happened. If you don’t know the name, give a description, and/or their address. Try to include as much detail as possible about the people involved and where the incident took place.
- Write down everything you see and hear in as much detail as possible. A general summary would not be taken as seriously as word-for-word evidence. For instance, if swear words were used in the incident, please record exactly what was said, rather than simply stating “they used abusive language”.
- Please note down whether this incident was reported to anyone. Include who reported the incident and to whom.
- It is important to include how this incident has affected you and other witnesses. Please note down how the incident made you feel, emotionally.
How will the information be used?
Any information that you provide will not be disclosed or used in legal proceedings without your permission.
Other evidence
Any other evidence that you can collect is also helpful, such as recordings or photos.