Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Philip Hollobone (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 22 March 2010 on behalf of the Home Office.

Sentencing (Publicity)

Question: If we are to improve the public's confidence in our criminal justice system, do we not need much less sympathising and understanding of why criminals commit crime, and much more naming and shaming?

Answer: The hon. Gentleman knows that, while not naming and shaming as such, we support visibility of outcomes in the criminal justice system. That is why the Ministry of Justice introduced orange jackets for community offenders 18 months ago, why we are trying to get individuals involved in picking projects for community work, and why we are trying to ensure that the community knows what happens to people—the outcomes of criminality. Those matters are important, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman supports them.

Secondary information