Prison Sentences

(asked on 30th September 2019) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of phasing out six month custodial sentences in England and Wales.


Answered by
Chris Philp Portrait
Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
This question was answered on 8th October 2019

Protecting the public will always be our priority. One of the first acts by this Prime Minister was to order an urgent review of sentencing. The focus of the review has been on the sentencing for the most serious violent and sexual offenders and the rules governing when and how those offenders are released. The review has also looked at changes to sentencing for the most prolific offenders which could help break the cycle of reoffending.

Based on the findings of the review, we will be bringing forward proposals shortly for a comprehensive package of legislative reform. This will include amending the automatic release point for the most serious sexual and violent offenders (where the offence carries a maximum life sentence) from the half-way point to two thirds of the sentence.

As part of this package of reform, we also plan to bring forward proposals for community penalties that offer an appropriate level of punishment, while tackling the underlying drivers of offending. We know that prolific offenders generally have multiple and complex needs which are linked to their offending behaviour, in particular drugs, alcohol and mental health needs. If we are to break the cycle of reoffending, solutions will often lie in community sentences, including those which address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, or provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.

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