Pact welcomes urgently needed review on prison regimes and sentencing

The UK government's Independent Sentencing Review, published today, calls for immediate reform to the sentencing framework in England and Wales. The report proposes that people in prison can earn release on licence after serving a third of their sentence if they complete work and training and demonstrate good behaviour.

Prison Advice and Care Trust CEO, Andy Keen-Downs CBE, said: "The proposals set out in the review are sensible and much needed. For too long, sentencing has been driven by a 'tough on crime' political narrative that prioritises punitive measures over those proven to reduce crime and. prevent reoffending.

"Prison is absolutely the right place for people who pose a serious risk to the public. However, there is a wealth of evidence that community sentences are significantly more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences.

"While we welcome the reforms, we remain concerned that current prison regimes offer limited opportunities for purposeful activity and effective rehabilitation. There is also a danger that increasing the use of Home Detention Curfew, or tagging, will place

further pressure on an already overstretched probation service, as well as on prisoners' families.

"We need urgent investment to restore prison regimes to at least their pre-COVID levels if people are to access the education, training, and employment they need. Locking people in cells for more than 20 hours a day does not offer them the opportunity to engage. in meaningful rehabilitation or demonstrate the good behaviour required to be considered for early release.

"While families often play a significant role in their loved ones' rehabilitation, they too need support to make resettlement a success. Investing in initiatives such as Pact's Routes 2 Change programme, which supports people in prison and their families from their first days in prison to their release, can help families navigate the often-challenging transition from custody to the community.

"We cannot build our way out of the current crisis. Alongside today's review, we need to consider reinvesting the funds set aside for prison expansion in initiatives to divert people from crime and help them break the vicious cycle of reoffending."

LINKS

Pact: www.prisonadvice.org.uk/
Independent Sentencing Review: www.gov.uk/guidance/independent-sentencing-review-2024-to-2025