A female priest who has helped deprived youngsters reject crime has criticised anti-social behaviour orders as a way of dealing with today's problem teens. The Reverend Jennie Appleby, Anglican priest with St Cuthbert's Church in Marton, was formerly a youth worker in deprived areas of County Durham. She worked in Consett during the dark days of the 1980s after the closure of a British Steel factory resulted in mass unemployment. Ms Appleby worked with teenagers, helping them get involved with useful activities, and setting up groups to enable them to take on responsibilities and build confidence. But the priest is concerned by the current trend of imposing anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) on persistent offenders, banning them from being seen in their communities. She said: "There have got to be other ways of working with young people. An ASBO is actually hiding the problem, instead of working with young people in a much more creative way. "We have to ask ourselves 'Is it a problem or is it an opportunity?' "It is quite a contentious issue. If we get them off the streets we may solve one problem but it might create more." Teesside authorities have been praised by the Government as leading the way in tackling anti-social behaviour. Across the country 2,600 ASBOs were handed out in the past year, with the average one costing more than £5,000 to create and over three months to obtain. But the government has been criticised for not researching whether ASBOs are of benefit to society. Ms Appleby said she personally was against the demonisation of young people. She said: "I don't think to describe young people as thugs is a fair description. I don't think people are looking at the underlying causes of why they are creating disruption in our communities. "More police and more street wardens may help in the short term but not in the long term. The root causes in areas where I have worked are unemployment, family breakdown and poverty. "Those sorts of issues are still around. There are also factors like sheer boredom - which doesn't seem like a serious social problem, but it's something that can really contribute to the problematic situation." Ms Appleby was ordained in June 2003 and her first posting was in Marton to work with the vicar the Reverend Mike Proctor. In her time as a youth worker she would go out onto the streets and talk to young people about their lives and build up a relationship with them. She said: "I have worked with some quite tough people. "They often have a lot of initiative if they are allowed to govern themselves. "A lot of people in society now just see young people as a problem. They cannot see that they are creative and can genuinely offer something. There is some good in all people and young people especially have potential to fulfil." Councillor Barry Coppinger, executive member for community safety in Middlesbrough, said: "There are approximately 20,000 young people in Middlesbrough and in terms of ASBOs we have gained less than 20. "The ASBO route is the last resort. Prior to that there is a lot of work in diversion activities to engage with young people." He said these included the Boro Buzz, a festival with more than 100 events held over the October half-term, which diverted youngsters away from trouble. He said: "I believe ASBOs are an important tool in tackling crime and disorder but they are one of a series of measures that we can use. "We do believe young people in Middlesbrough have an important role to play in the future and have a lot to offer." | 
