Louise Casey urges anonymity for disabled/elderly crime victims

Disabled or older victims or witnesses of crimes should be granted automatic anonymity to give them better protection, according to a criminal justice review published today.

The review by former Respect ‘tsar’ Louise Casey makes 32 recommendations on the theme of engaging the public with criminal justice agencies.

Other measures include locally publicising interventions where poor parenting has put children at risk of offending and anti-social behaviour, including where children have been excluded from school, and ensuring that youth activities are available in the 50 most deprived areas.

The review also advocates more “visible and demanding” community punishments and says the government should consider contracting out unpaid work schemes from the probation service.

Casey argued that government reforms had “not gone far enough yet” to win public confidence and said many people viewed the criminal justice system as “distant, unaccountable and unswerable.”

In response, the government said it would consider measures including more visible unpaid work schemes and greater use of uniforms for offenders, and encourage local authorities to provide funding for more activities for young people.

The government also announced that Casey would take up a new role as neighbourhood crime and justice adviser based in Home Office.

Probation union Napo warned that any plans for putting offenders in uniforms and “naming and shaming them on billboard” would be “demeaning” and not reduce crime.

More information

Review: Engaging communities in fighting crime