New “respect orders” will allow police and councils in England and Wales to bar repeat offenders from town centers or from consuming alcohol in public areas, including parks and high streets.
Violating the orders will be considered a criminal offense, punishable by up to two years in prison. In addition, judges have the authority to impose unlimited penalties or mandate that violators perform unpaid labor.
Civil liberties activists, however, expressed worries that the police would abuse their authority and criminalize the homeless.
Police will also be given more authority to combat “the scourge of off-road bikes in public parks and dangerous e-scooters on pavements, street racing, and cruising,” according to the Home Office.
