Criminals 'will be forced to wear high visibility bibs while carrying out community service'

Criminals sentenced to community punishment would be forced to wear high-visibility bibs under new plans to restore confidence in the justice system.

A top-level review ordered by Gordon Brown calls for the work projects for offenders to be run by private companies and charities rather than the Probation Service.

The review also calls on the Government to consider the possibility of 'conviction posters' showing who in the local area has been found guilty of a crime.

It follows years of complaints from victims of crime that the justice system was too soft on offenders who do not get prison sentences.

The report, written by Louise Casey, the former head of Tony Blair's Respect task force, also calls for police community support officers to be given wider powers to detain people and issue on-the-spot fines.

And she wants to see a commissioner to champion crime issues on behalf of the public, to help counter the view that the victim's voice is not heard.

Although home secretary Jacqui Smith is said to be behind the proposals on tougher community punishments, it is likely to face tough opposition from the Probation Service and possibly  Jack Straw's Ministry of Justice.

The report, to be published later this week, is understood to conclude that, despite falling crime levels and record police numbers, public concern about crime has gone up. 

People also do not feel they are told enough about what happens in the criminal justice system, and many people think the system is more concerned about the human rights of offenders than the victims.

Last year, thousands of criminals carried out six million hours of unpaid work such as clearing derelict land, removing graffiti from walls, renovating community buildings or creating costumes for the Notting Hill carnival.

But Ms Casey's report will come out against the Probation Service's long-standing opposition to offenders being more visible on work projects.

She wants tasks to be tougher than at present – and also for offenders to wear coloured tabards so the public know they are criminals being punished.

The unpaid work will become known as 'community payback'.

Those handed the most severe punishments will be expected to work three evenings a week and one day in the weekend if working, and five days a week if unemployed.

At the moment, offenders only have to complete six hours a week over a period of two years.

Ms Casey also wants all police community support officers to have the power to detain and issue fines.

And to ensure the public believe crime statistics, responsibility for collating them should be passed from the Home Office to an independent organisation.

Research for the report also found that just over half the public thought crime was the most important issue facing the country, and only one third were confident the system met the needs of victims.

One third said the most important issue on crime was lenient sentences.

The Cabinet Office refused to comment last night.