Criminals across the UK who have been convicted for sex offences, shoplifting, and drug dealing could soon avoid time behind bars under new Government plans to tackle Britain’s prison overcrowding crisis.
Ministers will introduce legislation next month to eliminate custodial terms under twelve months in most cases and establish a programme allowing inmates to secure freedom early based on good behaviour.
Suspended sentence durations will increase from two to three years under the proposed changes.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasised that lawbreakers “must be punished” and stated that individuals completing community-based sentences “must have their freedom restricted there, too”.
“These new punishments should remind all offenders that, under this Government, crime does not pay,” she declared.
The Justice Secretary stressed that citizens rightfully demand comprehensive governmental action to ensure Britain’s security, affirming “that’s what we’re doing”.
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Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasised that lawbreakers ‘must be punished’
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A Ministry of Justice spokesman said Labour had inherited a corrections system on the brink of failure from the previous Government before warning that without immediate intervention, prison capacity would be exhausted within months, resulting in halted court proceedings and cancelled police arrests.
Officials have committed to constructing 14,000 additional prison spaces by 2031, requiring £4.1billion in taxpayer funding.
Since July 2024, authorities have delivered 2,400 new spaces, though the Ministry of Justice acknowledges that building alone cannot resolve the crisis.
The Independent Sentencing Review has set a target of creating 95,000 spaces.
A MoJ spokesman said that without immediate intervention, prison capacity would be exhausted within months
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According to MoJ data, 10,000 fewer inmates are receiving NHS treatment for substance dependencies compared to 2015.
In addition, opiate treatment programme participation dropped by 16 per cent during the previous administration.
An analysis by Labour indicates that drug quantities in prisons increased whilst rehabilitation participation declined under Conservative leadership.
Ms Mahmood’s news legislation is also set to expand judicial powers to impose lifestyle restrictions on offenders, enabling courts to ban criminals from pubs, sports venues and entertainment facilities for any offence.
MoJ data shows prison population across England and Wales since 2021
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Currently, magistrates can only issue such prohibitions for specific crimes like football-related violence.
Ms Mahmood’s bill is expected to be brought forward in September when Parliament reconvenes and is understood to permit judges to impose these measures as punishment across all criminal cases.
Additional sanctions may include geographical confinement zones, travel restrictions and driving prohibitions.
Offenders violating these conditions risk returning to court for harsher penalties, potentially including imprisonment.
The restrictions can apply both to those serving community sentences and prisoners released on licence.
Mandatory drug testing will extend to all released prisoners, not solely those with substance abuse histories.
A Labour representative highlighted that current testing applies only to offenders with known drug problems, but the new regulations will encompass everyone.
“If they break the rules, court or prison beckons again,” the spokesman warned.
