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Anti‐social behaviour orders (ASBOs) are increasingly used against young people. This article argues that their offending behaviour frequently masks a catalogue of individual and material disadvantage of which the behaviour may be a consequence. The criminal consequences of a breach of an ASBO only serve to exacerbate the disadvantage.

Anti‐social behaviour legislation has resulted in a growth of the administrative mechanisms to enforce it. New guidance has been issued recommending an incremental approach and the number of orders and interventions has increased. This article examines the criticisms and assumptions on the effectiveness of anti‐social behaviour orders in the context of recent and emerging research.