Response to the Independent Sentencing Review's interim report
The APCC’s criminal justice leads have welcomed the publication of the interim report of the Independent Sentencing Review, led by former Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary David Gauke. The paper sets out the reasons behind the crisis in prison capacity in England and Wales. It concludes that successive governments’ policies of longer prison sentences are the principal driver behind a significant increase in prison population over recent decades, despite a long-term reduction in crime overall. The report says governments have focused primarily on punishment through imprisonment rather than on evidence-based measures to reduce crime and reoffending.
The APCC and its criminal justice leads, Donna Jones and Danielle Stone, submitted evidence to the Sentencing Review following its call for evidence. In response to the report, they said:
“We are pleased to note that the interim report has considered and taken on board the key points from the APCC’s submission to the Review.
“Our prisons are stretched to breaking point. As this report highlights, as well as addressing capacity issues in the prison estate, we need to make better use of robust community sentences that challenge offenders to turn their lives around, as well as out-of-court resolutions, and restorative justice where victims want that. We know that short sentences too often create a revolving door of crime, with people cycling in and out of custody whilst the root causes of their offending are not addressed.
“PCCs should play an increasing role in the management of low-risk offenders locally. We are uniquely positioned to provide effective oversight of services and to collaborate with partners in health, education, social care, employment, and the voluntary sector to help address the underlying issues that can drive low-level reoffending. We already commission a wide range of interventions, including out of court resolutions and restorative justice schemes, which could be expanded to support a broader cohort of offenders.
“We are encouraged by this interim report and look forward to further engagement with the Sentencing Review as it develops the recommendations for its final report that will be published in the Spring.”
Notes
- Donna Jones is APCC Joint Lead on Criminal Justice and PCC for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
- Danielle Stone is APCC Joint Lead on Criminal Justice and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire.
- Restorative justice is a process through which those harmed by a crime and those responsible for it work together to repair the harm, for example through victim-offender mediation, restitution or reparation agreed between the parties.