Introduction

The research examined the impact of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) on a range of offenders, particularly in relation to their propensity to engage in anti-social behaviour and future offending. The frequency with which orders were breached was also investigated, as well as the impact of the order on the offender's personal life, including their personal and family relationships. This chapter draws on the information gathered from the 38 completed cases and the 28 additional offender interviews that were undertaken.

Our findings are summarised under the following headings:

• • Offending histories

• • Social, personal and psychological histories

• • Attitudes towards being given an ASBO

• • Responses to the conditions of the order

• • Impact of ASBOs on offenders

• • Geographic and functional displacement

• • Number and type of breaches

• • Impact on personal, social and family life

Offending histories

The offending histories of those issued with stand-alone ASBOs were obtained through a review of the case files kept by the local Anti-Social Behaviour Units (ASBUs). The offending histories of those interviewed ranged from those with no previous criminal convictions to those with multiple convictions. A range of convictions was reported, from burglary to affray, criminal damage, shoplifting, hoax calls, robbery, soliciting, ticket touting, graffiti, actual bodily harm (ABH), grievous bodily harm (GBH), being drunk and disorderly, breach of the peace, motor vehicle offences and so on.

Table 3.1 is based on 38 cases in which there was access to case files. A quarter of those for whom this information was available had no previous convictions, with 60% having one or more previous conviction and at least 15% having more than five. Two fifths of the offenders reported having received other sanctions either prior to or in parallel with the ASBO. Of the orders issued, reported Supervision Orders were the most common, with one quarter reporting receiving this type of order.

In the entire interview sample (n=66), offences against the person constituted 42% of the total. Where no personal offence had been committed, just under half (47%) of offences involved theft or damage. Only 8% of cases solely involved drugs or disorder. These data indicate (however tentatively, given the sample size) that conventional forms of criminality rather than disorder were the main driver for orders.