One of the act's aims is to tackle the problem of stalking, but it also covers a range of behavior which might be classed as harassment. The act introduced a criminal offense dealing with conduct that amounts to harassment of another, and one that covers situations where the victim fears that violence will be used. The study examined 167 Protection From Harassment cases sent by police to the Crown Prosecution Service during 1998 for a decision on prosecution, and interviewed police officers, Crown Prosecutors, magistrates, and victims of harassment. The study concludes that the act is rarely used for so-called "classic" stalking cases, but to deal with a range of lower-level harassment by neighbors and former partners. This may be the result of a lack of satisfactory alternatives to deal with those situations. The report discusses each of five situations which it would consider evidence that the act is effective: (1) police pursue appropriate action at the right time; (2) victims are aware of available remedies; (3) offenders are rigorously prosecuted; (4) appropriate sentences are passed and executed; and (5) the harassment stops. Notes, tables, appendixes, references