Sir.-I read last Friday's article about ASBOs with amazement.

Does anyone other than a Labour politician actually believe that, by issuing ASBOs to convicted criminals and burglars, it is actually helping anyone?

I would like to see the national figures of how many of these people reoffend after having been given a let-off - because I believe that's what it is.

These police figures surely only make themselves feel happier.

Ask the old lady who was robbed in her own home how she feels about the criminals being given an ASBO as it was, or might have been, their first offence.

Ask any of the pensioners who are too scared to come out of their homes.

And finally, what has happened to the £500,000 they have saved from these ASBOs? Has any of it been put back into the police - or, even better, putting more police officers on the streets etc?

In fact, it would be nice nowadays to see any police on the streets.

-Carl Connor, Scots Court, Basingstoke.