SENTENCES SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO DETER REOFFENDING

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 22nd Mar 2004

Sentences should be designed to reduce re-offending, David Rendel MP argued in Home Office Questions today.

He pointed to Home Office statistics showing that 55% of prisoners are re-convicted of another offence within two years of their release. But if community sentences are given rather than prison sentences then the figure drops to 45%.

Commenting, Mr Rendel said:

"It is clear that community sentences are much more likely to prevent future re-offending than prison sentences.

"The Tory-Labour mantra 'prison works' is clearly not true when it comes to reducing non-violent crime.

"A shift to more community sentences for non-violent crimes would save taxpayer's money and cut crime."

ENDS.