More than half of all Asbos are breached, a criminal offence which can lead to imprisonment - even if the original behaviour does not warrant it. Research has suggested that they can be viewed as a "badge of honour" by young people, who are proud of the restrictions imposed on them. Inevitably, perhaps, they then do their best to circumvent them, though sometimes those orders are so complex that compliance would be difficult.
The antisocial behaviour order was described by one academic wit as an "evidence-free zone".
I would prefer to think it has been a flag of convenience for so many different interests that it has failed to serve any at all. It has clearly not served the communities troubled by persistent nuisance, noise, harassment, alarm and distress.
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