House arrest proposals to be considered as part of sentencing overhaul

Judges could get powers to impose a punishment of house arrest on criminals under a comprehensive overhaul of sentences to be launched today.

- Rajeev Syal

The review, which will be chaired by the former Conservative justice minister David Gauke, will also reassess the jail time handed to offenders found guilty of crimes against women and girls, including those connected to domestic abuse.

It has been ordered amid the overcrowding crisis in prisons in England and Wales but is expected to draw up “long-term solutions”, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said.

The review comes on the day that 1,100 criminals serving sentences of five years or more will be released from prison early to ease the crisis. In September, the first early release of prisoners under the new Labour government was criticised for being chaotic and poorly planned.

The prison population in England and Wales has risen by 93% in the past 30 years and currently stands at just over 87,000. It is predicted to rise as high as 114,800 by March 2028.

The review will look at punishing thousands more offenders within the community as part of a 10-year capacity strategy, the MoJ said.