Government to press ahead with shorter prison sentence plans

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Government to press ahead with shorter prison sentence plans

Sentencing reforms aimed at easing prison overcrowding have been mostly accepted by the government, the justice secretary has said, although she has rejected allowing early releases for the most serious offenders.

The government commissioned an Independent Sentencing Review by former Conservative Lord Chancellor David Gauke, who concluded major reforms were needed to “end the dangerous cycle of emergency releases”.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Commons she will proceed with most of Gauke’s recommendations, including earlier release for some offenders.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick labelled the plans as a “get out of jail free card for dangerous criminals”.

The government also confirmed it would expand a pilot scheme offering chemical castration to some prisoners, with a view to making it nationwide and potentially mandatory.

Last year, thousands of inmates were released early in an emergency measure to deal with prison overcrowding.

Gauke’s early release recommendations relate to the “earned progression model” for offenders, inspired by reforms to high-security, supermax prisons in the US state of Texas, which the

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in February.

The model sees offenders progressing through three stages, with good behaviour rewarded by early release after completing a third of their sentence. If not, prisoners stay in jail until they have served 50%.

There are concerns some of these prisoners on standard determinate sentences could include sex offenders and perpetrators of domestic abuse.

But Mahmood ruled out allowing early releases for the most serious offenders – those incarcerated for serious violent, *******, or terrorist offences on extended determinate sentences – saying these prisoners will continue to have to serve at least two-thirds of their sentence.

She also confirmed the expansion of a small pilot scheme offering voluntary chemical castration to some sex offenders to 20 prisons after the report said that trial should continue.

Mahmood told MPs the government is exploring whether to enforce chemical castration as mandatory.

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