Anti-Social Behaviour Legislation and the Policing of Boy Racers: Dispersal Orders and Seizure of Vehicles

This article considers the policing of young drivers in Scotland who are known as boy racers. It outlines the ways in which the police addressed the problem of anti-social driving by youths in a built-up urban environment in the context of concern and pressure from businesses, residents, the local authority, media, and government. Policing practices were shaped by the introduction of anti-social behaviour legislation including dispersal orders and seizure of vehicles. This involved behaviours not previously seen as deviant or anti-social now being defined as such, in relation to the perceptions of local residents and businesses. The article considers the success of the use of anti-social behaviour legislation, including dispersal orders and seizure of vehicles, and the impact this had on police relations with young drivers.