A once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform sentencing policy 

The Howard League for Penal Reform has today (Monday 21 October) responded to the launch of a landmark sentencing review, announced by the Ministry of Justice.

Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.), Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The trend of imposing ever longer sentences has brought the criminal justice system to the brink. An independent review presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver a more humane and effective response to crime and a lasting solution to the capacity crisis in prisons.

“For too long, criminal justice policies have been judged on whether they appear ‘tough’ or ‘soft’, when what really matters is whether they work. Rising sentences put intolerable pressure on the system, and dealing with the consequences takes valuable resources away from preventing crime and supporting victims.

“We can start to put things right if we shift our focus away from the length of sentences and towards what people are doing while serving them. Ensuring people have the support they need to move on from crime will make everyone safer.”

Notes to editors 

1. The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the world. It is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

2. For more information about sentence inflation, how it came about, and how it can be solved, visit the ‘What is sentence inflation?’ page on the Howard League website at: https://howardleague.org/what-is-sentence-inflation/
3. Sentence inflation: a judicial critique, published by the Howard League and signed by five of the most senior former judges in England and Wales, calls on the government to reverse the trend of imposing ever longer sentences, giving warning that radical solutions are needed to address the acute crisis in prisons. Read the paper on the Howard League website at: https://howardleague.org/publications/sentence-inflation-a-judicial-critique/  

Contact 

Noor Khan
Press and Public Affairs Officer
Tel: +44 (0)20 7241 7873
Email: noor.khan@howardleague.org