Make Justice Work in the Times

21.10.09

Building prisons does nothing to reduce crime

Sir, Tensions between magistrates and prison governors over how to deal with offenders who are given short-term sentences add to the evidence that such sentences don’t work. Short-term prison sentences for low-level non-violent offenders are expensive, contribute to clogging up our already dangerously overcrowded prison estate and do nothing to alter the behaviour of these offenders. The public and our frontline criminal justice staff would be better served if money were diverted away from short-term prison sentences into robust alternatives to custody, which deliver greater value for money, are proven to be more successful at cutting reoffending behaviour, and would free up valuable resources in the prison estate.

This would shore up public faith in community sentences, give magistrates a real choice in their sentencing options and allow prison staff to concentrate on those offenders who are really meant to be there.

Roma Hooper
Director, Make Justice Work

Read this letter online here.