Member

There is often confusion about what is described as the impact of short sentences. Association is not cause, but many people, it seems, do not understand that. Short sentences are frequently imposed on recurrent prolific offenders for whom community measures have been tried and have not worked. By definition, they are a challenging cohort. Comparing their reoffending rate with the reoffending rate for offenders receiving community sentences is very misleading. When we do the more detailed work of comparing like for like in terms of offending history and other characteristics, we see that the difference in reoffending rates falls back dramatically to single figures. Offenders receiving short sentences deserve to receive them. Very many of them are individuals who assault emergency service workers. As was highlighted powerfully by my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton, when in opposition Labour Members said that that was intolerable and that dealing with it was a priority. Why should such offenders escape punishment in prison? I am pleased that my right hon. Friend has drawn specific attention to that with her amendments and her speech.