ASBOs soar

New statistics show that the number of anti-social behaviour
orders (ASBOs) issued in England and Wales is rapidly
increasing.

Since April 1999, when ASBOs were introduced, 3826 have been
issued, almost 20 per cent of them in the most recent quarter (July
to September 2004). Half went to adults and 45 per cent to
juveniles (the ages of the other 5 per cent are not known).

42 per cent of ASBOs were breached up to December 2003 and 55
per cent of those found to be in breach received immediate
custody.