Stating The Blindingly Obvious...

The Probation Service has an "institutional reluctance to put the public first", the government's neighbourhood crime adviser has said.

Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather when I read that! Who'd have thought it?

Pretty much everyone who hasn't been living in a cave for the last ten years, I'd say:

Louise Casey said probation officers had "a kind of institutional desire to put offenders first, over and over".

She pointed to opposition in the service to criminals wearing high-visibility clothing as a punishment.

Probation officers have warned the clothing could increase the risk of offenders becoming targets for attacks.

Louise, sweetie, that's because the customers for the probation service aren't, as you'd imagine, the public. They are the criminals! That's who the service is run for.

Ms Casey said there should be more information given to the public about the punishments handed down to the guilty.

"So much crime is not brought to justice because the public do not bother or have no faith in the system or don't want to go into court to give evidence," she said.

"If we do not get some of these things right, that is what will continue."

Then you are starting with the wrong people, love. Don't go wasting money handing out leaflets to the public.

Start with the judicial system, in particular, start sacking judges and magistrates like this chap...

And this one...

And also this one...