Thread: Offenders must get 'badges of shame', says Louise Casey crim

Offenders must get 'badges of shame', says Louise Casey crime review

By Bonnie Malkin
Last Updated: 4:26PM BST 16/06/2008

Offenders carrying out community sentences could be forced to wear high-visibility bibs that will mark them out as criminals, part of measures designed to restore public confidence.

The recommendations include tougher punishments, the creation of a commissioner to champion crime issues on behalf of the public and allowing private companies, instead of the Probation Service, to run work projects for offenders.

"Conviction posters" showing the identity of people guilty of committing a crime could also be posted in public places.

The proposals from Louise Casey, the former head of Tony Blair's Respect task force, follow a year-long review ordered by Gordon Brown on how to involve communities in the fight against crime.

The are believed to have the support of Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, and Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, however Ms Casey's controversial proposals for more visible community punishments could be met with opposition from the Probation Service and parts of the Ministry of Justice.

The report, which will be published later this week, found that despite falling crime statistics and record police numbers, public concern about criminal behaviour has increased.

The public do not believe they get enough information about how the criminal justice system works. They also believe the law is stacked in the offender's favour.

The report says the Government should consider "instructing the Probation Service to contract out the running of all 'community payback' programmes to new organisations and introducing tougher and more visible punishments".

It also calls for the appointment of a public commissioner to represent victims of crime and suggests that Home Office ministers should no longer be responsible for publishing crime statistics in order to restore their credibility with the public.

Police community support officers should also have powers to detain and to issue fixed penalty notices for disorder offences, the report adds.

It calls for community tasks to be tougher and for offenders to wear coloured tabards so that it is clear to the public that they are criminals being punished.

Ms Casey also says that unpaid work should be renamed "community payback."

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said she would not comment on the report until it had been published.

Thousands of criminals carry out community service as part of their punishment. The unpaid work includes clearing derelict land, removing graffiti and renovating community buildings. An estimated six million hours of unpaid work was carried out by criminals in 2006-07.

Polling for the report highlighted tha lack of public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Only 33 per cent are confident it meets the needs of victims but 79 per cent agree it respects the rights of offenders. More than half (55 per cent) say crime is the most important issue facing Britain.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... eview.html

A BIB? THAT SAYS SOMEONE IS CONVICTED OF A CRIME? THIS IS WHY THERE IS NO CONFIDENCE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. POST THE NAMES IN PUBLIC? STUPID.

COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK IS GOOD BECAUSE IT DOES SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDES A FORM OF PUNISHMENT TO THE OFFENDER AS WELL.

HOW DOES POSTING THE NAME OR WEARING A BIB SERVE OR PAYBACK THE COMMUNITY?

AND PART OF LIFE IS BEING ABLE TO FIND A JOB. HOW WOULD THESE PEOPLE FIND A JOB IF THEY ARE WEARING A BIB? THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMMIT CRIMES TO SURVIVE. EVEN POSTING THE NAMES COULD HAVE THIS EFFECT. VERY STUPID.

I WOULD NOT WANT EX CRIMINALS WALKING AROUND UNABLE TO FIND WORK. THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT MORE CRIMES.