Member

We are not talking about petty criminals committing minor thefts. These are individuals whose crimes can leave lasting physical and psychological scars on their victims. They are criminals who have committed serious offences and very often repeated those serious offences. We are not attempting to express some idealistic notion about the purpose or proportionality of sentencing, and we do not pretend that it is possible to approach these issues in a total vacuum, ignoring the very real issues that our prisons face. But equally, we cannot turn a blind eye to the hard truths that will fast become reality if the Bill passes in its unamended form. This debate should not focus on the abstract flaws of short-term custodial sentences. We must confront the tangible and real-world consequences of passing Clause 1 with only the narrow exceptions it contains.