PRT comment: Independent sentencing review

Commenting on the publication of the independent sentencing review’s initial report on history and trends in sentencing, Pia Sinha, chief executive of the Prison Reform Trust, said:

“This thorough and comprehensive evidence review highlights what criminal justice experts have been saying for many years. A political desire to appear tough on crime by governing and opposition parties has led to a criminal justice arms race of piecemeal policymaking which has lengthened sentences and prioritised prison as the most appropriate form of punishment. This in turn has placed unsustainable pressure on the system and diverted it away from more effective measures at reducing reoffending and crime. This important report paves the way for the sentencing review to bring forward bold measures in the spring to place our use of prison on a more sustainable and proportionate footing.”