Prison sentences under review

The Government is reviewing prison sentences to address the overcrowding crisis in jails. David Gauke, the former Justice Secretary leading the review, has expressed concern over “significant inflation” in sentence lengths over the past two decades. He noted that the introduction of minimum terms has led to a “ratcheting” effect, causing sentences for various crimes to increase disproportionately. The review, commissioned by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, aims to investigate the framework surrounding longer custodial sentences and will report in April 2025. Mr Gauke has highlighted the need to consider alternatives to short prison terms, advocating for community punishments and electronic monitoring as more effective rehabilitation methods. He said: “What tends to set criminals on a path to rehabilitation is a home, a job and strong family links.”