Public spaces protection orders and the policing of sub-criminal behaviour
October 13th, 2025
The article “Public spaces protection orders and the policing of sub-criminal behaviour” published in the journal Punishment & Society in 2025, presents a qualitative study conducted in England and Wales, drawing on 32 interviews with local authority employees and police officers responsible for enforcing Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) - measures designed to regulate antisocial behaviours in public spaces. The study draws on theories of procedural justice and responsive regulation to examine how police forces and local authorities implement PSPOs in practice.
The article finds that, although officers believe they are enforcing PSPOs fairly and incrementally - in line with the principles of procedural justice and responsive regulation - their actual implementation reveals a pattern of punitive discretion. Moreover, it highlights how municipalities manage social order in the absence of adequate oversight or accountability mechanisms, thereby contributing to the further marginalisation of already vulnerable populations, such as people experiencing street homelessness.
To read and download the article click here.