Home Secretary Theresa May has announced that the Government is looking for simpler sanctions that will be easier to obtain and enforce.

It can take many months currently to gather sufficient evidence to issue an ASBO. She claims these are then breached more often than not and not really taken seriously by offenders.

Recent Home Office statistics show that more than half of all ASBOs are breached at least once and 40% are breached more than once and fines issued are not enforced.

The Home Secretry deems the current system to be complex, bureaucratic and expensive and there is a suggestion that more responsibility for solving low level crime should be devolved to local authorities and the police.

BUSINESS FORUM COMMENT

ASBOs work if they are supported and enforced.

This has been amply demonstrated in Brighton & Hove where partnership working involving the Business Forum's Business Crime Reduction Partnership, Sussex Police and the City Council's Anti Social Behaviour Team has successfully reduced anti-social behaviour in the city centre.

The Business Forum will be writing to Home Secretary Theresa May urging her not to abandon ASBOs simply because they are not properly administed in other parts of the country.