Prison doesn’t work, says Gauke

Short-term prison sentences ‘don’t work’ and should be replaced by community sentences, justice secretary David Gauke said last week in a speech in London. In the past five years, more than 250,000 sentences of less than six months, and more than 300,000 of less than 12 months were imposed, yet nearly two-thirds of those offenders reoffended within a year of release. When women were imprisoned for shoplifting, it caused huge disruption to their families and increased the risk of their children offending, he said. Instead, he recommended community orders and tagging alongside programmes to treat drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues.