Racists in Northern Ireland could be jailed for up to 14 years in an effort to stamp out increasing levels of hate crime.
Under the draft Criminal Justice (NI) Order, crimes against ethnic minorities and gays motivated by prejudice will carry stiffer penalties.
But with Asians and Africans in parts of Belfast being forced to flee their homes, representatives insisted the proposals were worthless if detection doese not improve.
Mr Patrick Yu, head of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities said: "We don't have confidence in the whole criminal justice system if no one is prosecuted.
"There are cases with strong evidence but the Director of Public Prosecution drops them without any reason.
"What we need to do is put more of these people in jail."
The new plans outlined by Criminal Justice Minister Mr John Spellar would require judges to take into account any racial, religious or sexual orientation factors when sentencing.
Sentencing powers where violent attacks are connected to so-called hate crimes would also increase.
Maximum jail terms for offences such as grievous bodily harm would rise from five to seven years, while the tariff for criminal damage would go up from 10 to 14 years.
Mr Spellar said: "The government abhors all forms of intolerance whether based on racism, sectarianism or sexual orientation.
The consultation paper has been published amid a major new attempt by police chiefs to end the campaign of intimidation and violence directed against vulnerable communities.
Attacks against ethnic minorities have risen by around 40 per cent in the last year, with many of the most serious assaults in a working class Protestant part of south Belfast.
Loyalist paramilitaries who control the Village district have been blamed for driving Chinese and Ugandan families from their homes.
But even though he welcomed the Government initiative, Mr Yu insisted it was only part of a solution.
PA