Briefing: Crib sheet - Anti-social behaviour

I understand there are more changes afoot regarding anti-socialbehaviour. More consultation, more legislation, more compulsion - all inthe name of rebalancing the criminal justice system in favour of thelaw-abiding majority.

That's you and me. Apparently so - though in his introduction to thisconsultation, the Home Secretary says that not only is he responding tothe wishes of the public, but also to practitioners.

How? Currently, we have a veritable suite of measures from which tochoose: acceptable behaviour contracts and anti-social behaviour orders;parenting contracts and orders; parenting classes; dispersal orders andchild curfews; anti-social behaviour injunctions; penalty notices; andtruancy sweeps.

And what are they proposing to add? The Government feels that it needsto strengthen pre-court disposals, and makes it clear that these changeswould be applicable to both adults and children. To support this, itrefers to a recent Mori poll on the Respect Agenda in which the majorityof respondents indicated that they thought young, first-time offenders(the named offences were breaking windows in disused properties andvandalising bus shelters) should be dealt with outside of court.