At-a-glance: justice reforms

An at-a-glance guide to plans to reform the criminal justice system.

SENTENCING

Criminals who plead guilty despite being caught red-handed will no longer automatically have their sentence cut by a third
Ministers are to consult on how to end the rules where people serving a life sentence can automatically considered for parole half way through their term
Judges could get more discretion to say that non-violent/less serious violent offenders should serve more than half of their sentences in jail
Rules which mean offenders who are re-sentenced when the government appeals against lenient sentences should see their time in jail cut to take account of the distress of being sentenced again
The maximum sentence for knife possession will be increased from two to four years through new laws

VICTIMS' RIGHTS

Ensure all members of parole boards who decide on seriously violent or sex offenders can show they understand the plight of victims
The views of victims will be put to the parole board in the most serious cases
All prosecutors will have to take a new pledge to protect the interests of victims
The government is consulting on how it can make it easier for crime victims to sue offenders who get a cash windfall after their crime. It comes after a victim of millionaire rapist Iorworth Hoare, who later won the Lottery, lost her appeal for damages against her attacker
Ministers also plan to make violent criminals pay for their victims' medical treatment

HUMAN RIGHTS

Human Rights Act will not be repealed or amended
Frontline staff who use the act in their everyday work will get "robust" guidance to dispel "myths" about criminals' rights
New laws will be used, if necessary, to ensure all criminal justice agencies have a clear duty to protect the public
Ministers are to consult on how to ensure people who the courts agree are guilty cannot go free because of irregularities in procedure

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND BAIL

Create an integrated service by 2007/8 to enforce bail and community service orders
Consult on new targets for returning people to break bail conditions to court
New powers to ensure courts presume that defendants who abscond and offend while on bail are remanded in custody
Ensure that criminals who break the conditions of their licence when they leave prison can be quickly returned to custody
Consult on giving probation officers the power to change the punishment a criminal gets depending on their behaviour - without going back to court
Consult on ambitious new targets for seizing criminals' assets

PRISONS

Create an extra 8,000 prison places
Make more foreign criminals serve their sentences in their home countries, freeing up more prison places. Also have fewer vulnerable women and mentally ill people in jails.
New laws to introduce violent offender orders, which give the courts powers to put restrictions on criminals after they finish their sentences

COMMUNITIES

Give communities more power to choose what community service projects offenders should do
Roll out a new work programme to improve the response to race and religious hate crimes