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Criminal justice system under review... again

30 March 2007
Issue: 7266 / Categories: Legal News , Local government , Public , Community care
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The police service is to be reviewed, ‘hard-core’ criminals will be targeted, and greater use made of community punishments under government proposals for the criminal justice system.

The plans are revealed in a detailed Home Office policy report published on 27 March, Building on Progress: Security, Crime and Justice.

Announcing the review, Home Secretary John Reid says: “We are saying you should pay back to the community if you are a non-serious offender by doing unpaid work. One of the lessons we’ve learned is to target the offender, not just the offence.”

The report looks at three key themes: prevention of crime; detection and enforcement; and reforming the criminal justice system.

Tough community punishments are proposed with communities having a voice about what these should be. The report also stresses the critical role of asset recovery, and the government has set a target to double the amount seized to £250m by 2009–10.

The government is launching a review of the police service, led by Ronnie Flanagan, HM Inspector of Constabulary. This

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