It is hard to believe that a suicidal young woman could be issued with an antisocial behaviour order because her behaviour is deemed to be attention-seeking. If she makes a further attempt to kill herself, her despair could become a criminal offence.

A man with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia was given an Asbo after neighbours complained about him. It’s the ultimate expression of the unwillingness of our politicians to educate the public about difference.

It’s all too easy to see the imposition of Asbos on such people as a sign of the inadequacy of the services that are supposed to support them. But in fact, short of institutionalising whole sections of the community, it’s impossible for services to prevent the symptoms of mental illness or some disabilities from being visible in public places.

Since the transfer of mental health and learning difficulty services into the community, we have – mainly through housing policy – concentrated needy individuals and families into ever smaller and more unpleasant areas. Now those who live on noisy, dangerous estates find the situation intolerable, and Asbos seem the best solution. The real solution must obviously start with a review of the rules governing how Asbos are issued, and to whom.