The introduction of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) over the past few years has accompanied an increase in negative media coverage of young people - most famously The Sun's "Shop a Yob" campaign. The fact that ASBOs are civil orders and not criminal has led to a media free-for-all with many local papers following The Sun's example and citing a "duty" to name and shame young people who are subject to ASBOs.
Public interest?
Wolverhampton's Express & Star newspaper recently printed the images of 24 young people subject to ASBOs in the area, some as young as 13 (see YPN 31 March-6 April, p15). Head of news Mark Drew says: "The courts are more willing for us to name and shame them. The point of ASBOs is to prevent youths reoffending. It is therefore in the public interest to have the names and pictures of offenders in the public domain."
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