Short sentences

SIR – The news that the Government and the Justice Committee are considering scrapping short prison sentences is worrying. This would curb the powers available to the 300 magistrates’ courts in England and Wales – and, more importantly, undermine our justice system.

Overcrowding of prisons is a distraction. It’s true that nearly six in 10 are overcrowded, but this is because politicians have failed to increase prison capacity or build new ones as Victorian institutions close and the population increases.

Magistrates’ courts deal with 95 per cent of criminal cases. Our sentencing powers range from fines to community sentences to custody of up to 12 months for multiple offences. In my experience, on the rare occasions that someone has been sent to prison it has been taken extremely seriously – as it should be. Often other options have been tried, a strong message needs to be sent or there is a risk to the public.

If a drink driver has been caught for the third time in five years, or someone continues to ignore their community sentence, or a restraining order protecting their ex-partner, the courts need to have the option of short prison sentences as the ultimate sanction. Currently there are 82,643 people in prison. Only 7.5 per cent are serving sentences of under 12 months, and total prisoner numbers have been falling since 2011, even though Britain’s population is rising.

To take away short sentences from the courts would be a grave mistake. It would further degrade their dignity, disarm them, allow a small number of offenders to abuse the system without consequence and erode the public’s trust in the justice system. David Jones JP

Leeds, West Yorkshire