Policy Press ASBO nation: The criminalisation of nuisance

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) has been a major preoccupation of New Labour's project of social and political renewal, with ASBOs a controversial addition to crime and disorder management powers. Thought by some to be a dangerous extension of the power to criminalise, by others as a vital dimension of local governance, there remains a concerning lack of evidence as to whether or not they compound social exclusion. This collection, from an impressive panel of contributors, brings together opinion, commentary, research evidence, professional guidance, debate and critique in order to understand the phenomenon of anti-social behaviour. It considers the earliest available evidence in order to evaluate the Government's ASB strategy, debates contrasting definitions of anti-social behaviour and examines policy and practice issues affected by it. Contributors ask what the recent history of ASB governance tells us about how the issue will develop to shape public and social policies in the years to come. Reflecting the perspectives of practitioners, victims and perpetrators, the book should become the standard text in the field. Review this book will certainly be of interest to students, academics, practitioners and policy-makers alike. Engaging, well-structured and, at times, provocative.... ....of excellent quality. Prison Service JournalOverall, this is a useful addition to an accumulating stock of excellent texts on the topic of anti-social behaviour. It will, I am sure, be added to reading lists by those who teach criminal justice policy to undergraduates, and who want to direct students to the range of areas in which the current obsession with ASBOs can be found. British Journal of CriminologyThe social construction of 'anti-social behaviour', together with the extension and dispersal of interventions, sanctions and, ultimately, punishments targeted at the 'anti-social', comprise some of the most controversial policy developments of the New Labour era. This timely volume critically illuminates the origins, applications and impact of such phenomena. It makes essential reading for researchers, students, policy-makers and practitioners alike. Barry Goldson, Professor of Criminology and Social Policy, University of Liverpool About the Author Peter Squires is Professor of Criminology and Public Policy at the University of Brighton.