To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what (a) monitoring and (b) research his Department has carried out into the effects of the introduction of high-visibility jackets for offenders on unpaid work. (284303)

Distinctive clothing in the form of orange high visibility jackets for offenders undertaking Community Payback work was introduced in December 2008 as one of the measures to respond to the recommendations of the report “Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime.”

Since its introduction in December 2008, the level of use of this distinctive clothing has been monitored. This monitoring is on a quarterly basis and by the end of March 2009 over 400,000 hours of Community Payback work were undertaken by offenders wearing the distinctive clothing. The figures for the next quarter should be available by the end of July.

Home Office polling shows that nationally awareness of Community Payback has risen from 49 per cent. in November 2008 to 74 per cent. in April 2009.