It comes after Labour began freeing thousands of inmates early in September 2024, to curb jail overcrowding in England and Wales by temporarily reducing the proportion of sentences which some prisoners must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent.
The review’s report warned the cost of the increasing prison population has been “catastrophic” for prisons and probation services, as it has diverted resources towards emergency measures to respond to the record demand, instead of reducing reoffending and safety in the system.
David Gauke, former Conservative lord chancellor, has said longer jail terms have been a “knee jerk” policy response to show government action, leading to an overwhelmed and ineffective system.
Introducing new offences and changes including mandatory minimum sentences and extended sentences has driven up terms, the report added, with many of the changes in response to tragic events that have led to inconsistencies and left victims with “a sense of injustice”.
The government launched the sentencing review to consider options to hand offenders tougher punishments outside of prison as part of efforts to ease overcrowding in October last year.
