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Asbos viewed as 'badge of honour' Asbos viewed as 'badge of honour'
(about 1 hour later)
Anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) have become a "badge of honour" among young people, according to a survey.Anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) have become a "badge of honour" among young people, according to a survey.
"A considerable number of respondents alluded to the potential for the order to become glamorous," the report adds."A considerable number of respondents alluded to the potential for the order to become glamorous," the report adds.
The year-long Youth Justice Board study looked at Asbos given to under-18s between January 2004 and January 2005 in 10 areas of England and Wales.The year-long Youth Justice Board study looked at Asbos given to under-18s between January 2004 and January 2005 in 10 areas of England and Wales.
Of 137 young people, 67 had breached their order at least once, 42 more than once and six on six occasions or more.Of 137 young people, 67 had breached their order at least once, 42 more than once and six on six occasions or more.
Have Your Say The problem with a lot of teenagers is that they are led to believe that they can have what they want Brian Agnew, UK Send us your comments "High levels of breach had led some sentencers to question how much impact Asbos were having on the behaviour of individual young people," the government agency said. HAVE YOUR SAY The problem with a lot of teenagers is that they are led to believe that they can have what they want Brian Agnew, UK Send us your comments "High levels of breach had led some sentencers to question how much impact Asbos were having on the behaviour of individual young people," the government agency said.
Home Office minister Tony McNulty said only 7,000 Asbos had been given out by the end of last year, and they were only used in the "very worst circumstances where behaviour won't shift".
He added: "Our communities have the right not to be constantly abused by anti-social behaviour.
"There is much we are doing with young children to try and prevent that but let's not demonise a whole generation. We are talking very, very small numbers."
Early intervention
Youth Justice Board chairman Professor Rod Morgan urged the police, councils and courts to only issue an Asbo to a young person if working with the family had not worked.
"Whereas we're all agreed that there should be effective involvement and consultation with youth offending teams before an application for an Asbo is made, that isn't always the case or it hasn't always been the case," he said.
"But where that is in place they work much more effectively."
I know a boy that is hell-bent on getting an Asbo because he feels left out Mother
One district judge told researchers young people who breached orders were not properly punished.One district judge told researchers young people who breached orders were not properly punished.
"There are quite a lot of people breaching orders and not a lot happening to them when they do," he said. "You would increase the (prison) population enormously if we... enforced Asbos fully," he said.
"You would increase the (prison) population enormously if we... enforced Asbos fully."
Parents and carers of the young people given orders said an Asbos was now viewed as a "diploma" that boosted a child's street credibility.Parents and carers of the young people given orders said an Asbos was now viewed as a "diploma" that boosted a child's street credibility.
"Some of the friends are left out now because they are not on an Asbo," said the mother of three young men who were all on Asbos."Some of the friends are left out now because they are not on an Asbo," said the mother of three young men who were all on Asbos.
"I know a boy that is hell-bent on getting an Asbo because he feels left out.""I know a boy that is hell-bent on getting an Asbo because he feels left out."
One police officer criticised the use of "exclusion zones" as part of Asbo conditions. Parents say Asbos boost a child's street credibility
You've actually invented a game for the kids to play Police officer One police officer said exclusion zones had become a game for youngsters to "run over the imaginary line and then run away from the police."
"You are inviting little Johnnie Smith to... run over the imaginary line and then run away from the police," he said. Shadow home secretary David Davis said the study highlighted the government's "total failure to tackle crime".
"You've actually invented a game for the kids to play." He said: "The Asbo system was set up as a headline-catching gimmick.
Youth Justice Board chairman Professor Rod Morgan urged the police, councils and courts to consult Youth Offending Teams and "exhaust every preventative measure in the community" before giving a young person an Asbo. "The latest findings show that young offenders have no respect for Asbos and can breach them without any real threat of serious sanction."
He told the BBC that Asbos should be issued only if liaising with the families in question failed to work. Ethnic fears
"What is at the centre of this report is the fact that, whereas we're all agreed that there should be effective involvement and consultation with youth offending teams before an application for an Asbo is made, that isn't always the case or it hasn't always been the case," he said. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said the prime minister was "demonising" young people through the Asbo system, and what was needed was engagement.
"But where that is in place they work much more effectively."
The study also indicates 22% of young people given Asbos are black or Asian - two and a half times the proportion of people from ethnic minorities in England and Wales.
One district judge made official inquiries to his superiors after noticing Somali youths were over-represented in Asbo applications, the report says.
It needs work with parents. Often they're at their wits' end Nacro chief executive Paul Cavadino
"It was bordering on the point where criticism could be made that the police were targeting a particular ethnic group," he said.
The research was conducted by the Policy Research Bureau and crime reduction charity Nacro.The research was conducted by the Policy Research Bureau and crime reduction charity Nacro.
Nacro said it was concerned Asbos were being used too readily and there was a "worryingly high" level of applications for Asbos on certain ethnic groups.Nacro said it was concerned Asbos were being used too readily and there was a "worryingly high" level of applications for Asbos on certain ethnic groups.
Chief executive Paul Cavadino said Asbos should only be used as a last resort. The study indicated 22% of young people given Asbos are black or Asian - two and a half times the proportion of people from ethnic minorities in England and Wales.
He told the BBC: "First of all you need to work with young people to change their attitudes. Secondly you need to divert them into constructive activity to use their leisure time properly. Thirdly you need the kind of work that's dealing with problems like solvent abuse and which is also building up the possibility of parents exercising better control.
"So it needs work with parents. Often they're at their wits' end, and their parenting might be inadequate, but it's not that they don't want their children to stop misbehaving.
"So, if you look across the country, some areas use Asbos as a last resort but some are using them as an early resort before more constructive and potentially more effective methods have been tried."
Mr Cavadino also called on ministers to set up "rigorous" ethnic monitoring and clear targets to eliminate racial discrimination.
"The wide definition of anti-social behaviour that can result in an Asbo has created enormous potential for discrimination," he said.