Rishi Sunak is set to announce a new 'immediate justice' scheme on Monday, aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour by forcing offenders to clean up their crimes within 48 hours. The plan, which will be tested in ten areas before a national rollout in England and Wales next year, requires vandals and graffiti artists to repair damage while wearing jumpsuits or hi-vis jackets under supervision.
Victims and communities will have a say in the punishment, alongside local police and crime commissioners. Possible penalties include cleaning graffiti, litter-picking, washing police cars, or unpaid community work. The scheme is part of a broader antisocial behaviour action plan, with new funding for police and crime commissioners, though the exact amount has not been disclosed.
The prime minister emphasised the impact of low-level crime, stating, 'For too long, people have put up with the scourge of antisocial behaviour... These are not minor crimes.' The move positions crime as a key election battleground, with Labour leader Keir Starmer already pledging to prioritise low-level crime and introduce 'respect orders' for persistent offenders.
In addition to immediate justice, the government will expand the 'community payback' programme for serious offenders from 5 million to 8 million hours annually. Last year, 1,500 offenders completed nearly 10,000 hours on 300 community clean-up projects, a figure ministers aim to double.
