The Government will introduce new laws within weeks to restrict short prison sentences and strengthen community punishments. The measures aim to address the ongoing crisis in prison capacity across England and Wales.
The sentencing bill will include a Texan-style earned release scheme allowing prisoners who demonstrate good behaviour to be freed earlier. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood witnessed a similar programme in Texas, which she said reduced crime and brought the prison population under control.
Tougher community sentences
Ministers plan to give courts greater powers to impose tougher community sentences on criminals who avoid jail. Offenders could face bans from pubs, concerts and sports grounds, alongside driving limits, travel restrictions and confinement to specific areas.
Those who break these conditions could be dragged back before a judge and face harsher punishment. Similar restrictions would also apply to prisoners released on licence, while mandatory drug testing will expand to cover all those released.
September implementation expected
The sentencing bill is expected after MPs return from their summer break in September. It will implement many recommendations from the review carried out by former Conservative justice secretary David Gauke.
The plans include restrictions on sentences under 12 months, except in exceptional circumstances such as domestic abuse cases. The maximum length of suspended sentences would extend from two to three years.
Prison crisis background
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "This Government inherited a prisons system days away from collapse." The Government is building 14,000 more prison places, with 2,500 already delivered, but acknowledged it cannot build its way out of the crisis.
Without action, the country would run out of prison places within months, potentially forcing courts to halt trials and police to cancel arrests. The earned progression model would see release dates determined by prisoner behaviour - following rules earns earlier release, while breaking them extends sentences.
New enforcement powers
Courts already possess powers to impose conditions on certain sentences, such as banning football hooligans from grounds. The new measures would allow such restrictions for any offence, monitored by probation officers.
Shabana Mahmood said: "When criminals break society's rules, they must be punished. Those serving their sentences in the community must have their freedom restricted there too. These new punishments should remind all offenders that, under this Government, crime does not pay."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
