New laws to reduce use of short prison sentences

NEW laws to restrict the use of short sentences and strengthen community punishments will be introduced within weeks.

- DAVID HUGHES

The measures, aimed at easing the crisis in prison places, will include a Texan-style earned release scheme allowing convicts who demonstrate good behaviour to be freed earlier.

Ministers have also set out plans for tougher community sentences which could see criminals banned from pubs, concerts and sports grounds.

The sentencing bill is expected to be introduced in the coming weeks after MPs return to the Commons from their summer break in September.

It will implement many of the recommendations from the review of the system carried out by former Tory justice secretary David Gauke.

The plans are expected to include restrictions on the imposition of short sentences of less than 12 months, apart from exceptional circumstances such as domestic abuse cases, and extending the maximum length of suspended sentences from two to three years.

The “earned progression model” recommended by Mr Gauke would see an offender's release date determined by their behaviour.