Holding parents to account: tough on children, tough on the causes of children?

This paper examines the intellectual basis for New Labour's policy of holding parents to account for the misconduct of their children. It argues that the government has relied too heavily on an ill-defined conception of responsibility, whilst failing to address the underlying causes of anti-social behaviour. By way of illustration, the government's strategy is considered in the light of the author's empirical study of anti-social behaviour measures and their impact on families in a disadvantaged area.