Asbos on the way out, signals Theresa May | UK news | guardian.co.uk

Quote:

The home secretary, Theresa May, today sounded the death knell for the asbo as new official statistics showed breach rates rising above 50%, and that use of the orders has fallen to the lowest level yet. May said it was now "time to move beyond the asbo", with replacement, simpler sanctions that were "rehabilitating and restorative rather than criminalising and coercive". Her south London speech marks the end to the system of antisocial behaviour orders, which became a hallmark of Labour's approach to tackling crime, with its "asbo culture" of hoodies, graffiti and noisy neighbours. But her speech also marks a departure from some of the Conservatives' more hardline rhetoric before the election, such as when the shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling, talked about introducing "grounding orders" to tackle yobs. May said: "These sanctions were too complex and bureaucratic. There were too many of them, they were too time consuming and expensive and they too often criminalised young people unnecessarily, acting as a conveyor belt to serious crime and prison." She said Labour had introduced a "ludicrous list" of sanctions to tackle antisocial behaviour, among them the ISO [individual support order], the asbi [antisocial behaviour injunction], the asbo [antisocial behaviour order] the crasbo [criminal antisocial behaviour order], crack house closure orders, dog control orders, litter and noise abatement orders, housing injuctions and parenting orders. She said the use of these sanctions varied hugely from one part of the country to another, with police and local authorities focusing on the handful of orders they were most familiar with. "And if the professionals don't understand them," she asked, "then how on earth are the perpetrators of antisocial behaviour supposed to understand them? No wonder they don't act as a serious deterrent." Instead, she is to launch a Home Office review of the powers available to the police to provide them with tools that are quick, practical and easier to use: "Simpler sanctions, which are easier to obtain and to enforce, will provide the police and practitioners with a firm hand to tackle the problem cases," she said. "Where possible, they should be rehabilitating and restorative rather than criminalising and coercive. But where necessary, they should be tough and provide a real deterrent." "Just this morning, the latest asbo statistics have shown that breach rates have yet again increased – more than half are breached at least once; 40% are breached more than once – and their use has fallen yet again, to the lowest ever level." The latest asbo statistics, published today, show that only 2,027 asbos were issued in 2008 – the lowest level since a peak of 4,122 were issued in 2005. In all, 6,999 asbos have been issued since their introduction, in April 1999. The figures also show 1,266 asbos were breached for the first time in 2008, giving a breach rate of over 50%, which is the highest rate yet. They also show that more than 40% of asbos have been breached more than once. In total, more than 9,247 of the 16,999 issued were breached, fuelling the claim that asbos were often seen as a "badge of honour" by teenagers.

__________________
Standard disclaimer: the disgusting statements contained in this post are the views of the poster, and unless specified do not represent the views of the moderators or the site's owners.

I'm big on symbolic acts of contrition and change. Got a kid taking pot shots in the neighborhood with an air rifle? Put him on a platform in the middle of the street, have him make a short speech about how he's sorry and won't do it no more, then have him hacksaw his air rifle in half in front of everyone.

A little red-guardish, maybe, but there something to the public humiliation thing I think. With a dose of, 'ok, we've settled that and can move on now.' That's important.

__________________
"Neither man nor nation can exist without a sublime idea."
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1821 - 1881
QOTD

My BLOG: Things Have Changed

Originally Posted by Zichao

May said it was now "time to move beyond the asbo", with replacement, simpler sanctions that were "rehabilitating and restorative rather than criminalising and coercive" [...] In total, more than 9,247 of the 16,999 issued were breached, fuelling the claim that asbos were often seen as a "badge of honour" by teenagers.

I wonder how rehabilitating and restorative sanctions are going to work on teenagers who, rightly or wrongly, see themselves as "against the world" and are happy to smash things/annoy everyone to manifest their rebelliousness...

After all, presumably, teenagers will be as prompt to interpret leniency as weakness as they were to interpret ASBOs as badge of honour...

__________________
Unless otherwise specified, I am posting as a regular poster. When I will act as a mod, I'll make sure you're in no doubt.

Good show, they're totally useless, I know of many folks with them and it doesn't make the slightest big of difference.

__________________

Originally Posted by Noir

Good show, they're totally useless, I know of many folks with them and it doesn't make the slightest big of difference.

OK, I agree. But what's the solution? Or, different question, is the solution what T. May proposed?

__________________
Unless otherwise specified, I am posting as a regular poster. When I will act as a mod, I'll make sure you're in no doubt.

Originally Posted by Gilles de Rais

I wonder how rehabilitating and restorative sanctions are going to work on teenagers who, rightly or wrongly, see themselves as "against the world" and are happy to smash things/annoy everyone to manifest their rebelliousness...

Not necessarily. Teenagers are also deeply conformist, as a rule, which is why peer pressure is so powerful. ASBO's only acted as another form of control; something more public might indeed have better results.

Anyway, I agree this is a good thing, and I'm not convinced that ASBO's really need to be replaced with anything. Either an act reaches the threshold of criminality or it doesn't, and if it doesn't then there is no grounds for the state imposing penalties.

Originally Posted by contracycle

Anyway, I agree this is a good thing, and I'm not convinced that ASBO's really need to be replaced with anything. Either an act reaches the threshold of criminality or it doesn't, and if it doesn't then there is no grounds for the state imposing penalties.

What about community dealing with problems of loitering, aggressive and disruptive "gangs" of teenagers?

I don't think shouting, being aggressive and spreading rubbish all over the place is criminal. But it does ruin the neigbhourhood. "Broken window" theory, if you will.

__________________
Unless otherwise specified, I am posting as a regular poster. When I will act as a mod, I'll make sure you're in no doubt.

Originally Posted by Gilles de Rais

OK, I agree. But what's the solution? Or, different question, is the solution what T. May proposed?

Well, my personal soloution is final, but generaly frowned upon by the ECHR ^_^

More srsly, I think if there is a solution it lies within the benifit system, because I think that's where the problem is. Too many of the folks I know that cause trouble don't have a job because EVERYTHING is paid for them, a house, food, luxeries ect.

Personally I think reforms could be made by way of giving those on benifits 'benifit cards' one for food, one for clothes and a small (if any) cash amount for luxuries. If they don't like having to use the cards, or think the luxury budget is too small they can get a job and spend the money they get how they please.

Also the notion of 'get a baby, get a house' must be scraped imo, I have heard people openly saying the only reason they 'kept' the baby when they found our they where preggers was for the house down the line, if it wasn't a lady saying it I'd of had a hard time not putting my fist in their face.

Those reforms will likly never happen though, and even if they did they may not work, but I'd say taking the idea of choice out of peoples hands (becuase of their choices) a bit of stigma added with the cards, and spending the day in work not on their sofa would be as good a plan as any.

__________________