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Anti-social Behaviour Orders

I am announcing today statistics relating to anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs). An ASBO is a civil order that protects the community from behaviour that has caused or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as the perpetrator. ASBOs were introduced under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and have been available since April 1999. They can be issued to anyone aged 10 years or over. They impose restrictions on the behaviour of individuals who have behaved in an anti-social way and protect communities from often longstanding and highly intimidating activity. Breach of an ASBO is a criminal offence and can lead to custody. The maximum penalty for breach of an ASBO is five years imprisonment or a fine of up to £5,000 for an adult offender. Data on the number of ASBOs issued are updated quarterly. New figures for the period up to March 2005 are now available. These figures show that for the period between April 1999 and March 2005 the number of ASBOs issued (as reported to the Home Office) was 5,557. The number of ASBOs issued in the quarter January to March 2005 is 897 and represents 16 per cent. of the total number of ASBOs issued over all quarters. Of those ASBOs issued, 53 per cent. were to adults and 44 per cent to juveniles (3 per cent. of ASBOs are age unknown). Some 50 per cent. were orders on application and 50 per cent. were orders on conviction. The Home Office is notified by courts of ASBOs issued. However, evidence is emerging of some under-reporting of the number of ASBOs issued. The courts are requested to provide the Home Office with statistical information concerning all ASBOs. This has not happened in all cases, and the Home Office is currently working with Her Majesty's Courts Service to address this under-reporting. A new single standard IT system (LIBRA) is planned to be implemented in all magistrates' courts during 2006 onwards and this will improve the quality and timeliness of data. Where data are not currently reported by the courts on time, data for previous quarters are reconciled to take account of any late court returns. I have placed in the House Library a briefing note containing information about ASBOs and the ASBO statistics issued today.