Member

We on these Benches have long argued for a presumption against short sentences of immediate imprisonment. I say in response to noble and learned Lord, Lord Keen, that we have always argued that 12 months should be the cut-off point. We know that that is appropriate, because all the evidence is that short sentences of imprisonment do not work; they do not lead to rehabilitation, and they are much less effective than community sentences in reforming offenders. These are the outcomes that the Bill proposes. The amendments that were originally to have been moved in group 1 would have worsened the prison capacity crisis and led to a breakdown of our penal system.