PRISON SERVICE

social problems. She argues that thecriticisms of ASBOs are individuallyfocussed and do not take account ofthe wider benefits, including those forthe victims of anti-social behaviour.She also ties this view in to recentdiscussions which have sought to linkrights with responsibilities and moveaway from individual rights towards amore collective perspective.This work is perhaps best viewedas an important corrective to thedominant academic debate on ASBOsand an intellectual justification of theNew Labour policy. Given themethodology, focussing on thepowerful figures involved inmanaging the policy, it is perhaps notsurprising that such complimentaryconclusions have been drawn. It doesraise the question of whether a studybased in communities where ASBOsare used may have led to morenuanced and challenging conclusions.There are also several importantareas that are left unexplored in thisstudy. For example, the✄appropriateness of the use of ASBOscould be further questioned. There isa concern, revealed in the media andacademic coverage, about how theintroduction of this measure has ledto the labelling of the behaviour ofcertain groups such as young peopleand a reduction in tolerance.Although in this book the judges andmagistrates interviewed suggestedthat their role is to act as a bufferagainst this the reality exposed is thatthey seem to exercise a light touchwith 97 per cent of applications forASBOs being upheld. In addition, theuse of criminal justice measures todeal with the social problems ofmarginalised and excludedcommunities has been widelycriticised. In part because this divertsresources away from dealing withthose issues and in such straightenedfinancial times this does raisequestions about what is the best useof resources. Would it, for example,be better to use the money spent onASBOs, or at least a proportion of it,improving services such as education,health and youth facilities in thosecommunities? This is the centralargument of those who supportJustice Reinvestment strategies 2 . Thereis also a concern about how the highprofile use of such measures creates awider perception about poorercommunities. It deflects attentionfrom concern over issues such asinequality and poverty, but insteadcreates an image of a feral populationundeserving of welfare support, andso undermines and reduces supportfor attempts to address the underlyingcauses of social exclusion 3 .Overall, this book is of value inproviding a corrective and anintellectual articulation of the officialcase for ASBOs however the gaps inthe coverage mean that it cannot beconsidered a definitive examination ofanti-social behaviour policy.Jamie Bennett is Governor of HMPMorton Hall.PUBLICATIONSBookson SpecialOffer!The Prison Governor: Theory and Practice by Shane Bryans and David WilsonDescribes in one closely argued book, the history of imprisonment, the management ofprison staff, the understanding of prisoners, the developing role of the Governor andsome well governed prisons.Order Form (Please photocopy this page) Copies TotalThe Prison Governor£4 for prison staff .....................£5 for non Prison Service staffInclude £3.00 p+p per book Cheque Value ....................Enclose a cheque made out to ‘HM Prison Service’ and send to:Prison Service Journal, c/o Print Shop Manager, HMP Leyhill, Wotton-under-Edge,Gloucestershire, GL12 8BT. Tel: 01454 264007Name........................................................................ Address ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Signature ..........................................................2. Allen, R. and Stern, V. (eds) (2007) Justice reinvestment – A new approach to crime and justice London: International Centre for Prison Studies.3. Bennett, J. (2008) The social costs of denagerousness: Prisons and the dangerous classes London: Centre for crime and justice studies.64 Prison Service JournalIssue 192