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Public 'cut off' by crime process Public 'cut off' by crime process
(9 minutes later)
The public should be told more about criminals so they no longer feel "cut off" from the justice system in England and Wales, a Cabinet Office paper says. Criminals' punishment needs to be much more "visible" to restore public confidence in the justice system, a review for the Cabinet Office says.
Louise Casey's review says the system is seen as "distant, unaccountable and unanswerable" - many do not know how to contact police in a non-emergency. Louise Casey's paper says people in England and Wales feel "cut off" from a "distant, unaccountable" system.
One idea is to make offenders serving community sentences more "visible". She suggests neighbourhood police hold regular public meetings and issue leaflets so victims and local people know offenders have been caught.
Ms Casey also recommend many targets should be ditched with police focusing on the goal of making people feel safe. The review, which is intended to inform policy, makes about 30 recommendations.
Ms Casey, the government's crime and communities adviser, and former "respect tsar", undertook the year-long review, which is based on the views of 13,000 people in England and Wales who were consulted over an eight-month period. The government's crime and communities advisor spent eight months consulting 13,000 people in England and Wales for the review - ordered by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to raise confidence in criminal justice.
I'm tired of the public being cut off from the criminal justice system, the public are tired Louise CaseyReview author She said people do not believe crime has fallen, and think the law is stacked in favour of offenders' rights. We're all a little tired of hearing about the human rights and civil liberties of people who break the law Louise CaseyReview author
The review, to be published later, is intended to improve the balance between treating people, preventing crime and keeping the public informed.
Ms Casey said, particularly with low level crime like vandalism, victims often did not realise that someone had been charged and punished - she suggested that leaflets could be distributed with details on offenders.
'Cut off'
"We're all a little tired of hearing about the human rights and civil liberties of people who break the law."We're all a little tired of hearing about the human rights and civil liberties of people who break the law.
"For years we have been listening to that - who is speaking up for the rights of law-abiding decent people?" she told BBC Breakfast."For years we have been listening to that - who is speaking up for the rights of law-abiding decent people?" she told BBC Breakfast.
She called for a balance between treating people, preventing crime and keeping the public informed.
"I'm tired of the public being cut off from the criminal justice system, the public are tired," she added."I'm tired of the public being cut off from the criminal justice system, the public are tired," she added.
She recommends that offenders serving community sentences be made more "visible" to identify that they are being punished for breaking the law. PROPOSALS EXPECTED Anonymity for elderly court witnessesMore fining powers for PCSOsLeaflets detailing convictionsHigh visibility bibs for offendersIndependent crime figures body
She also calls for the "intensity" of their sentence be increased, so they spend five days a week - or three nights a week and one day a weekend if employed - carrying out their tasks such as litter-picking or cleaning up graffiti. She recommends that offenders serving community sentences be made more "visible" to identify that they are being punished.
Ms Casey said: "Once these people commit crimes they disappear into the system. She also calls for the "intensity" of their sentence be increased, so they spend five days a week - or three nights a week and one day a weekend if employed - carrying out tasks like litter-picking or cleaning up graffiti.
"We need to get over some of the hand-wringing that says we cannot put them in a uniform." It says people convicted of crimes "disappear into the system" adding: "We need to get over some of the hand-wringing that says we cannot put them in a uniform."
'Jumpsuit' 'Jumpsuit' debate
However, she said she did not want to "see this debate trivialised into should you or should you not wear some kind of jumpsuit".However, she said she did not want to "see this debate trivialised into should you or should you not wear some kind of jumpsuit".
The main point was that the public wanted to know what happened to people who broke the law in their communities, and she suggested that leaflets could be distributed with details on offenders. The review is also expected to say that many people do not know how to contact police in a non-emergency and that many police targets should be scrapped, with police focusing on the goal of making people feel safe.
Another of the 32 proposals is that citizens should be trained and equipped to play a stronger role in tackling crime. She said people do not believe crime has fallen, and think the law is stacked in favour of offenders' rights.
The report also highlights the need for a "public commissioner on crime" to champion people's concerns within government, and a new performance target to measure public confidence in the system. This is an admission of failure on government policies on crime and anti-social behaviour James BrokenshireConservatives
And it says people should be trained and equipped to play a stronger role in tackling crime, although Ms Casey said people should be "vigilant, not vigilantes" - and be made aware of what they can expect from the police.
It suggests elderly victims of crime may get anonymity in court, with similar special measures for disabled victims and people who fear they will face reprisals for speaking up.It suggests elderly victims of crime may get anonymity in court, with similar special measures for disabled victims and people who fear they will face reprisals for speaking up.
It also calls for more information on the outcomes of court cases and the punishments offenders serve. Police community support officers should get more powers - for example to issue fines for drunken behaviour.
It suggests the government should consider contracting out enforcement of community work from the probation service. Needs of victims
Support powers And there should be a "public commissioner on crime" to champion people's concerns - while an independent body should be responsible for producing national crime figures, rather than the Home Office.
It calls for more standardised powers for police community support officers.
And it suggests stripping the Home Office of responsibility for producing national crime statistics, with the task handed to an independent organisation instead.
The review suggests that 55% of the public believe crime is the most important issue facing Britain, while 29% think sentences are too lenient.The review suggests that 55% of the public believe crime is the most important issue facing Britain, while 29% think sentences are too lenient.
Some 33% suggest they do not think the criminal justice system meets the needs of victims, compared with 58% who think better parenting is the key to reducing crime. Some 33% suggest they do not think the criminal justice system meets the needs of victims.
The probation union Napo has criticised plans to give probation officers powers to extend the time served by offenders on community penalties as an abuse of the legal process.The probation union Napo has criticised plans to give probation officers powers to extend the time served by offenders on community penalties as an abuse of the legal process.
And for the Conservatives, James Brokenshire said: "This is an admission of failure on government policies on crime and anti-social behaviour.
"It acknowledges the public remain deeply concerned about the levels of crime and disorder on their streets."
He said the government had failed to tackle "this very serious problem".