HAMPSHIRE'S worst yobs will be targeted under a massive new crime crackdown.

Each Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership will draw up a "league of shame" of the most disruptive offenders in its community.

Police will use new powers, which are part of the Prolific and Priority Offender (PPO) scheme, to stop hooligans who blight the lives of law-abiding citizens.

Officers will be told to focus on - and name - thugs who persistently commit anti-social behaviour.

The scheme aims to address bad behaviour, such as city centre disorder, street drinking, vandalism, graffiti and fly-tipping.

About 5,000 of the most prolific offenders nationally will be targeted. Launching the PPO scheme, Home Secretary David Blunkett said: "A handful of individuals can wreak havoc in a community, blighting whole neighbourhoods and making the lives of the law-abiding majority a misery.

"The costs to our communities are huge and we are not prepared to tolerate it. From today, the efforts of the police and all the criminal justice agencies across the country will focus on this high-offending group."

A Home Office spokesman added: "Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships have identified individuals who pose the greatest threat to the safety and confidence of their local communities. This will enable local organisations to concentrate their joint efforts on those people who cause most harm to their communities."

Fareham MP Mark Hoban condemned the scheme as "another pointless Home Office initiative".

The Tory front-bencher said: "People don't want to see another initiative to tackle anti-social behaviour. They want to see the police given the opportunity to put existing measures, such as Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, into effect. This looks like another waste of time."

Mr Hoban added: "The police already know the worst offenders through the intelligence that they receive. They should already be tackling these offenders."

Mark Oaten, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said the authorities should be focusing on "nipping potential criminals in the bud".

The Winchester MP said: "I would be supportive of targeting adult offenders but we need to try to change behaviour."

Under PPOs, criminals will be put through intensive and closely-controlled programmes, including drug treatment, to steer them away from crime. If they break the rules, they face being fast-tracked before the courts. Offenders released back into the community after sentencing will be monitored using hi-tech tagging technology.

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham, a Labour backbencher, said: "It is very important the CDRPs use all the new tools the government has made available to tackle anti-social behaviour."

Mr Denham, chairman of the Commons' home affairs committee, warned: "I would be concerned about naming and shaming people who have not got criminal convictions."