Blair admits errors in fight against yobs

LONDON, Apr 28 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair says he was wrong to believe the growing menace of anti-social behaviour could be tackled by investing in run-down neighbourhoods.

Dealing with loutish behaviour has been a major issue for Blair's government with the National Audit Office estimating it costs 3.4 billion pounds a year in England and Wales.

''What I have learnt over these 10 years is that the original analysis I had was incomplete and therefore misguided,'' Blair wrote in today's Daily Telegraph.

''Not in the sense that investment in poorer neighbourhoods and regeneration was wrong - it has been absolutely right - but in the sense that it will not deal with this small and unrepresentative minority.

''The reality is we're dealing with a very small number of highly dysfunctional families and children whose defining characteristic is they don't represent society as a whole.'' Labour's use of punitive measures, particularly Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to target such troublemakers, has come under fire from the opposition Conservative leader David Cameron.

But Blair strongly defended Labour's Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) legislation.

''When David Cameron argues that ASB laws are 'counter-productive' because we all have to take responsibility, that is also misguided,'' said Blair.

''Repealing ASB laws is the last thing we need. I now think that the proper answer is to add to the ASB laws measures that target failing and dysfunctional families early and place them within a proper, structured, disciplined framework.

''It's very tough. It's intrusive. Naturally, people will complain about the 'nanny state', but, for some of these families and their children, a nanny state is what they need - for their sake as much as for ours.'' REUTERS SG PM1405