Criminals sentenced to do unpaid community work could see their hours cut by a third under plans announced by the Scottish Government.
Justice secretary Humza Yousaf said the reduction was required to deal with an "unavoidable" backlog in the system due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Council areas placed under level four restrictions last year were told by health bosses to suspend all planned community work parties as they would be unsafe.
SNP ministers now plan to cut the unpaid work element imposed in existing community payback orders by 35% - with the exception of those imposed for domestic abuse, sexual offences, or stalking.
But the proposals were slammed today by the Scottish Conservatives, who said the Nationalists were letting down victims of crime.
Liam Kerr, the party's justice spokesman, said: "The SNP have shamefully tried to hide their failures on Community Payback Orders by sneaking out a new policy during a Budget.
"This confirms the long-held suspicion that the SNP wants to let even more criminals off the hook.
"Rather than funding the Criminal Social Justice budget properly, the SNP have frozen their funding despite the increase in outstanding work hours.
"Yet again the SNP are letting down victims and taking a soft touch approach to justice. That is completely unacceptable."
Yousaf said: “Scotland’s justice social workers and other community justice staff play a critical - though often unseen - role in ensuring the delivery of community-based sentences that, in recent years, have contributed to record low reconviction rates which in turn help keep crime down and communities safe, with fewer victims.
“The public health challenges they have faced during the pandemic were recognised by Parliament when it approved provisions in the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act to allow community orders, including unpaid work, to be varied if necessary.
“It is clearly important for all those involved to ensure justice is carried out swiftly and effectively and that confidence in community orders is retained.
"This challenge, by no means exclusive to Scotland, requires a balanced and sensitive response. While I acknowledge that some may have concerns, I can assure victims of crime and others that the justice system continues to hold those who commit offences to account."
The Scottish Government said the measures would focus specifically on unpaid work and all other requirements would remain in place.
Individuals who require supervision, or specific interventions to address their offending, will continue to be supervised by justice social work.
