Anti-social behaviour order

An anti-social behaviour order (ASBO /ˈæzb/) is a civil order made in the United Kingdom against a person who had been shown, on the balance of evidence, to have engaged in anti-social behaviour. The orders were introduced by Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998,[1] and continued in use until abolished in England and Wales by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 on 20 October 2014—although they continue to be used in Scotland and Northern Ireland.[2] ASBOs were replaced in England and Wales by the civil injunctions and criminal behaviour orders.[3][4][5] They were designed to address behaviours like intimidation, drunkenness, and violence by individuals and families, using civil orders rather than criminal sanctions.[6] The orders restricted behaviour in some way, such as: prohibiting a return to a certain area or shop; or restricting public behaviours, such as swearing or drinking alcohol. Many saw the ASBOs as connected with young delinquents.[7]

They are closely related to fixed penalty notices and related schemes such as penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) and penalty charge notices (PCNs), in both intent and date of introduction.

  1. ^ "ASBOs can't beat a neighborhood policeman". The Times. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2014.[dead link]
  2. ^ "Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) | nidirect". 30 October 2015.
  3. ^ "What the Law Says". ABS Help. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  4. ^ Gibbon, Sian (7 January 2015). "Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO)". Youth Justice Centre. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  5. ^ Gibbon, Sian (13 October 2014). "Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 – All Change?". Ashfords LLP. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  6. ^ "BBC Q&A Anti-social behaviour orders". BBC News. 20 March 2002. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  7. ^ Youth Justice Board Study (2006) Conducted by NACRO, Solanki, Bateman, Boswell and Hill