Lynne Featherstone

Today’s news is that ASBOs aren’t working. Half are being breached and the young people who get them see them as a badge of honour. ASBOs can have a short sharp effect of stopping someone from going somewhere for a while – but they don’t change behaviour. We need earlier intervention with a whole range of partners – from parents, teachers, social workers police etc. The Acceptable Behaviour Contracts pioneered by Lib Dems in Islington with the police do that and have had great results.

But the real point is – it is not quick or cheap and it takes time and constant involvement to change behaviour – yes alongside punishment and deterrents – but if we don’t change behaviour then our streets will never be safe because the offender will come back and just carry on.

And if the ASBO is breached and a custodial sentence is then passed – sending people to jail keeps them away from committing crimes in the short-turn, but then they come out and offend again and again all too often (and when jail acts as a crime school too …) It’s a hiding to nothing but also very much a story the media like covering . So I did BBC 24, Sky etc.