Asbos are harmful to young, says justice chief

The Government's flagship policy to curb young tearaways has come under fire from a leading figure in the justice system.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) are meant to stem the activities of thugs, petty criminals and nuisance neighbours.

But Ellie Roy, head of the Youth Justice Board, which oversees punishment of young offenders, said Asbos were flawed and sometimes harmful. She warned they were being issued with impossible conditions attached, and too many children were being jailed for breaching them.

Breaching an Asbo can lead to five years in jail, even if the offence would normally be too minor to warrant custody.

Speaking to Safer Society magazine, Ms Roy conceded Asbos had given relief from antisocial behaviour, but said the "naming and shaming" of young offenders "caused real problems" for some families.

"Once you give a dog a bad name it becomes more difficult to rehabilitate," she said.

Asbos often bar offenders from entering particular areas or meeting certain people. More than 2,500 have been issued since their launch in 1999, most to under-18s.