The Catholic Church has joined senior former ministers in welcoming a new commitment from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to divert vulnerable women in the criminal justice system away from custodial sentences through rehabilitation and the provision of tailored support.
Bishop Richard Moth, lead Bishop for prisons, commended the MoJ’s move, adding: “Evidence shows that short custodial sentences are detrimental to women and their families, and a greater focus on innovative community provision is a very welcome commitment.”
The Government’s announcement on 27 June came a week after the Justice Committee of MPs published its findings into Transforming Rehabilitation, the Government’s recent attempt to overhaul the probation service. Among the MPs’ conclusions was the suggestion that the Government should introduce a presumption against the use of short custodial sentences across England and Wales.
The Justice minister Rory Stewart told the committee on 27 June that community penalties were more effective than custodial sentences and he wanted to “significantly reduce, if not eliminate” terms of under 12 months.
Government figures show that 70.7 per cent of women and 62.9 per cent of men released from custody between April and June 2016 after a sentence of less than a year went on to re-offend within 12 months. The Justice Secretary David Gauke said that there was “persuasive evidence” that the Government’s new approach would help reduce re-offending rates.
Bishop Moth said: “The Justice Committee’s recent call for a presumption against short custodial sentences would apply to both men and women. Despite the evidence that community sentences are more effective at reducing reoffending than time in prison, their use has declined steadily over the last decade.”
He pointed out that the Scottish government has already introduced a presumption against custodial sentences under three months, and will soon be extending this to 12 months. “It is time for our Government to examine this approach in greater detail,” he added.
He said: “Reducing the use of short term custodial sentences across the board would give offenders a better chance of rehabilitation, protect vulnerable individuals from exposure to potentially harmful environments, and reduce unnecessary pressure on an already overstrained prison service.”
The move was also welcomed by senior politicians and campaigners.The former Home Secretary Charles Clarke told The Tablet: "I very much welcome the support which the Catholic Church is giving for the greater use of community sentences. These are far more effective than custodial sentencing in reducing re-offending and so the more support that can be given to this change the better."
Lord (Charles) Falconer, the first Secretary of State for Justice, appointed in 2007, told The Tablet: “I strongly support the move away from short custodial sentences but I’m incredibly keen to ensure that the alternative, for both men and women, is community sentences, not longer custodial sentences. So for this to work the government has got to spend money on ensuring there are serious alternatives. I strongly support, as well, reducing as much as possible the number of women that go to prison, generally.”
Vicky Pryce, who spent several months in prison in 2013 for perverting the course of justice and is the author of Prisonomics: Behind Bars in Britain's Failing Prisons, told The Tablet: “ Most women are there [in prison] for trivial offences and only present a risk to themselves. What they need is support to overcome the mental and drug-related issues and get over traumas such as physical and sexual abuse that many women offenders have experienced in their lives. Alternatives to prison are cheaper and better at reducing re-offending.”
Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “The strategy is a welcome recognition of the futility of short prison sentences for women whose offending is often driven by abusive relationships or unmet mental health needs… If the Government turns its good intentions into action, many thousands of women and families, including victims, will benefit. That work must start immediately.”
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