PRISONERS will be allowed to live at home for part of the week to keep their jobs when a "weekend jail" scheme goes nationwide.

Home Secretary David Blunkett announced yesterday that the controversial part-time prison initiative would be introduced at every jail within 18 months.

It will allow non-violent prisoners to work or go on training schemes, cutting reoffending by making it easier for them to adapt to life after release.

The scheme, which has already been tried in Preston and Lincoln, also keeps families together because mothers are allowed out of jail for part of the week to care for their children.

It is hoped that the plan will also ease the chronic pressure of prison overcrowding.

Sexual or violent offenders will not be eligible for the scheme, which is expected to be restricted to those serving sentences of up to 26 weeks.

Mr Blunkett said: "Our early pilots show that offenders have been able to keep jobs and small businesses that would have been lost if a sentence of full-time custody had been imposed.

"Intermittent custody can play a key role by punishing offenders whilst ensuring they undertake programmes to address their behaviour and make a reparation to the community."

But the Victims of Crime Trust attacked the plans.

A spokesman said: "They have to send a strong message to the criminal fraternity that they will not be tolerated and the prisons are there to lock them up."

Mr Blunkett also announced a change in the law to allow youngsters who breached anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) to be automatically named and shamed.

At present, under-18s can be identified by local newspapers when they are given an ASBO, but not when they are taken back to court when it is breached.

And so-called neighbours from hell will be forced to pledge in writing to change their ways or face eviction, under a scheme to be tested in Sunderland.

The city is one of ten "trailblazer areas" where a strict behaviour code will commit troublemakers not to return drunk late at night, or cause any disorder.

In return, they will be given 24-hour support from social workers, including help with getting up in the morning, getting children to school and assistance with homework.

The worst nuisance neighbours will be evicted and sent on residential courses before they are considered for rehousing.

An extra 1,300 prison places will mean an overall increase in capacity of 3,700 places next year, to be achieved by alterations and new facilities on present sites.

And the bulk of a £90m package for counter-terrorism will be spent on recruiting Special Branch officers to work with MI5.

The increase will mean that the counter-terrorism budget has risen by 50 per cent since the September 11 terror attacks, and will have doubled by 2008.