Scandal of jail let-offs to cut prison overcrowding
KILLER drivers, thugs and sex offenders were among thousands of criminals jailed for less than a year according to official documents, the Daily Express reveals today.
Ministry of Justice records show 5,343 convicts were jailed for less than 12 months to March this year as the Government attempts to ease pressure on overcrowded prisons.
Among them were paedophiles, people convicted of causing death by inconsiderate driving and kidnappers.
While prisons minister Rory Stewart told MPs in June the Government “may want” to exclude some crimes from 12-month sentences, campaigners went a step further yesterday and demanded ministers rule out certain offences from more lax rules.
Idiotic
Conservative MP Philip Davies, a former member of the Justice Committee, told the Daily Express: “Most people would think these people should be in prison for longer. It’s clear this Government’s agenda is for these people not to go to prison at all.
“That is completely and utterly unacceptable. It’s frankly idiotic and I’m not entirely sure how anybody who proposes such a course of action could in all sense of decency describe themselves as a Conservative.”
The Ministry of Justice suggested the proposals in a bid to slash the prison population, with overcrowded jails rife with illegal drugs and violence. But Mr Davies said: “I think the proposals are idiotic to be perfectly honest. If the Government said it was going to get rid of 12-month sentences and make sure everyone gets a longer prison sentence, fair enough, I’d be the first to support that.
“But we all know that isn’t what they want – what they want is these people not to go to prison at all.”
A rapist who attacked a girl under 13 was given a “soft sentence” along with violent criminals, including 180 thugs who assaulted their victims and nine who tried to seriously hurt someone.
Prison records show 167 burglars were also jailed for under a year. Justice Secretary David Gauke insisted short jail terms should only be used as a “last resort”. A Ministry of Justice spokesman added: “Jail sentences will continue to be handed down to protect the public and keep communities safe.”
CRIME in this country really is running out of control. Apart from the horrendous and growing murder rate in the capital and beyond, children as young as 10 are running drugs and carrying knives, while of the criminals who are actually caught, many are serving derisively short sentences. Killer drivers and sex offenders deserve to pay for their crimes; instead many are serving terms of less than 12 months.
We simply cannot go on like this. For a start, we need to get a grip on what is happening on our streets. It is now clear it was a massive mistake to cut back on stop and search: it should be reintroduced on a much greater scale immediately. Any youngster found carrying items such as knives or acid should face immediate charges. We need a return to neighbourhood policing and a zero tolerance policy. Every crime should be thoroughly investigated. And yes, we need more police out on the streets.
Sentencing should be far more of a deterrent than it is. If a criminal knows that for a relatively serious offence, he (for it is mainly men) will serve less than a year in jail, then he may well consider it to be worth the risk. Wrongdoers should live in fear of a long prison sentence, not be laughing in the face of justice. The Government has got to act now.