Despite falling crime, England and Wales see a rise in prisoners due to longer sentences over the past 25 years.
The report said ministers wanted to seem tough. They aimed to deter crime through stricter measures. Prison terms got longer as a result. Sentences increased by forty percent since the early nineties. In short, prisons are near collapse.
Back in 1993, the average sentence was sixteen months. This was for serious crimes in courts. Now, the average sentence is about twenty-two months. Last year, prisoners were released early because cell space was low.
Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood requested the review. David Gauke, a former justice secretary led it. Gauke will recommend ways to improve prisons. He said England and Wales imprison many people.
They jail 139 people per 100,000. This is more than France, Germany, or the Netherlands. Even Poland jails about the same amount. Prisons are becoming overwhelmed with inmates.
The public lacks real knowledge of sentences. Many think terms are shorter. Sentences have really increased a lot. It probably isn’t helping reduce crime.
The review shows reoffending rates are high. Almost forty percent reoffend after release. Those jailed briefly often reoffend. This cycle feeds more people into prison.
Gauke said the system is close to collapse. Years of poor planning caused this crisis. Politicians raised sentences without considering the impact. The system suffered from underinvestment.
The government plans more prisons. They want fourteen thousand new spaces by 2031. This prison-building project will cost ten billion pounds.