Last Updated on June 28, 2025 by Karl Thompson
Controlling Public Space: PSPOs, CBOs and CPNs Explained
Following the decline of ASBOs in England and Wales, three new orders have become central to local crime control: Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs), and Community Protection Notices (CPNs). These are closely aligned with Right Realist criminology, which focuses on zero-tolerance policing, environmental design, and public order.
This post complements the analysis in Environmental Crime Prevention and explores how these newer legal tools function to control behaviour and reinforce social norms in public spaces.
Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs)
PSPOs give local councils the power to ban certain behaviours in clearly defined geographic areas such as town centres, car parks, and parks. They are designed to tackle antisocial behaviour and maintain public order.
Common restrictions include:
- Drinking alcohol in public
- Letting dogs off leads
- Loitering in groups
- Revving car engines
- Riding e-scooters in pedestrian zones
Some examples of PSPO enforcement include:
- Dover District Council implementing a PSPO requiring dogs to be kept on leads
- Bassetlaw District Council banning groups of three or more under-16s from congregating in specific areas
- Kettering Council enforcing a youth curfew between 11 PM and 6 AM in its town centre
Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs)
CBOs replaced ASBOs in 2014 and go further by including mandatory rehabilitation. Individuals subject to CBOs must not only avoid antisocial behaviour but also complete interventions such as anger management or addiction treatment.
Between 2015 and 2019, around 1,000 CBOs were issued annually. In 2023, two prolific shoplifters in Grantham received CBOs banning them from all shops unless accompanied by a responsible adult. One later breached the order and was sentenced to six months in prison.
Town centre bans for prolific Grantham shoplifters – Lincolnite (Archived)
Community Protection Notices (CPNs)
CPNs are intended to address lower-level antisocial behaviour and are often issued in civil disputes. A 2019 review found that some CPNs targeted untidy gardens and poorly managed pets — raising concerns about disproportionate enforcement and subjective judgments.
How Do PSPOs, CBOs and CPNs Compare?
| Order Type | Max Penalty | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Community Protection Notice (CPN) | £100–£2,500 fine | Unlimited |
| Civil Injunction | Up to 2 years in prison or unlimited fine (18+), 3-month detention order (under 18) | Unlimited |
| Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) | Up to 5 years in prison (18+), 2 years in detention (under 18) | 1–3 years (under 18), renewable annually (over 18) |
Source: GOV.UK – Civil Injunctions and CBOs
Conclusion: Urban Order, Risk, and Power
While these orders are intended to promote safety and social order, critics argue they disproportionately target young people, the homeless, and other marginalised groups. Their alignment with environmental crime prevention and situational crime control highlights a shift toward managing “risky” populations rather than tackling root causes of deviance.