Book excerpt: This book seeks to explain why anti-social behavior, as a focus of political rhetoric, legislative activity and social action, has gained a high profile in Britain in recent years, and it provides a critical examination of current policies of enforcement and exclusion. It also analyzes the thematic elements in the drive against anti-social behavior, within the wider law and order agenda. Public concern about anti-social behavior is real enough, and it remains high on the political agenda. This book will describe the wide range of offensiveness and incivility involved, showing different intensity and causation. It will examine the methods adopted to deal with anti-social behavior and particularly the increasingly managed response orchestrated by the government, and evident in new and recent legislation. These concerns are not confined to Britain, and this book also seeks to situate the growing concern with anti-social behavior with developments in both North America and Europe.