But now the implementation of Home Secretary David Blunkett's Antisocial Behaviour Act threatens to open up a philosophical chasm within his own department. Youth justice practitioners are increasingly worried that the achievements of the past five years could be about to be compromised (see p2).
The problem is demonstrated by the way antisocial behaviour orders and breaches of orders are imposed: the orders are civil cases but breaches of orders are a criminal offence. So, young people are going into custody for breaches of antisocial behaviour orders imposed for relatively minor offences, such as ringing someone's doorbell. They are ending up with a criminal record for no other reason than the breach of an order.
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