Violence at home breeds bad behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour and domestic violence go hand in hand and will
be looked at together, confirmed Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister permanent secretary Mavis McDonald.

Speaking after a seminar in Harrogate last week, McDonald admitted
the two streams “had not previously been connected” within
government policy.

The move follows comments by social commentator Beatrix Campbell
who told delegates: “In pilot schemes where people paid attention
to the mothers’ circumstances, it was evident that most [boys with
Asbos] were living with domestic violence.”

Campbell said that statistics showed that 80 per cent of Asbos
concerned boys and men, while 80 per cent of parenting orders
engaged only mothers.

She said that if such a large percentage of Asbos concerned girls
or ethnic minorities there would be an uproar.

“Society just assumes it’s what boys do,” Campbell told delegates.