Prisons minister: Legislation to ban most short sentences due 'imminently'

ITV News

14 hours ago

ITV News Social Affairs Correspondent Sarah Corker sat down with Lord Timpson. Words by Senior Politics Producer Lili Donlon-Mansbridge
The prisons minister has told ITV News that short sentences are a "disaster" for female prisoners, and that his government's reforms to women's justice will be "radical".
Lord Timpson confirmed the government will introduce legislation to ban short sentences, apart from in specific circumstances. When asked when the legislation would enter the House of Commons, the prisons minister said it was coming "imminently".
"What's been really clear in the David Gauke review into sentencing is the majority of the recommendations there, I think, are absolutely the right thing. So we've obviously got to go through the legislation process," he told ITV News.
"What is really clear is that we need to make sure that we resolve the prison crisis, but we also make sure that people can be punished effectively outside of prison," he said.
The Independent Sentencing Review, chaired by Former Justice Secretary David Gauke, recommend the number of criminals being given short prison sentences be reduced, in favour of community-based punishments, including electronic tagging.
Lord Timpson told ITV News that in lots of cases short sentences are a "disaster", particularly for female offenders. Last year, the Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood outlined the government's plans for women's justice, including setting an ultimate ambition of closing a women's prison entirely.
"For a lot of women, being in prison on short sentences is a disaster. Their children are taken into care and they lose their house, their job.
"So what we need to make sure is that we have really robust community punishments that work," Timpson said.
Lord Timpson spoke about how his own personal experience growing up with a mum who fostered children of women who were in prison showed him the vulnerability of women in prison.
"My mum was a foster carer and lots of the children who came to live with us, especially babies, they came to us because their mums were in prison.
"And then when their mums came out of prison, they often came to our house for day business and stuff.
"And what was really clear, even from when I was a teenager, that a lot of these women are very ill. And I still believe that a lot of the women who are in prison are very ill.
"I can give you lots of facts - 55% of women in the justice system have drug addiction issues... Around 50% of women in prison have brain injuries, often as a result of domestic abuse. So we're dealing with some very, very complex people and often some very ill people."
The minister said he still believes women's justice needs radical reform, and that the Women's Justice Board, an expert panel commissioned by the government to overhaul how female offenders are treated, will implement "radical" changes.
"I came into this job to sort out all the problems I've been seeing for the last 20 years. It needs radical change, but it also needs to follow the evidence," he said.
ITV News were the first journalists ever to enter the Mother and Baby Unit at HMP New Hall, where mothers who have been sentenced to prisons can serve time with their babies. Lord Timpson told us his government would ensure most pregnant women and new mothers were diverted away from custody.
"There are some pregnant women that commit really serious offences and that is what prison is for for them. But there are also a large number of women, pregnant women, women with young children who I believe would be better off being diverted away from prison and serve their punishment in the community", he told ITV News.
75% of women in prison were there under 12 months at the end of last year. Lord Timpson said he believes more female offenders should serve their sentences in the community, and receive more 'wrap-around' support to prevent them going, or returning, to prison.
"What is very clear with female offenders is that a number of those who are in prison when they leave prison need support when they're out.
"But also that we divert women away from prison, but we wrap around support on housing, mental health and drugs - and that's where the intensive supervision courts, which I'm a big fan of, I think they have a big role to play too."
"There are far too many people reoffending and especially women going round and round the cycle of reoffending and creating more victims," he said.
He also acknowledged that the probation service was stretched, but said that had been given additional resource, including in the Spending Review in March.
"Probation is under a lot of pressure and that is where the heavy lifting of the justice system is done, and that is where our focus needs to turn.
"Because for far too long, probation has been the forgotten about service in the justice system. And for me, it is absolutely vital. That's why we've got 700 million of extra funding. We're recruiting thousands of more probation staff," Timpson insisted.
The prisons minister also reiterated the government's commitment to change the law to stop prisons being used as 'place of safety' under the Mental Health Act.
"In the Mental Health Act that is going through Parliament at the moment, that's one of the clear objectives. Prison is not the place for people who are very seriously mentally ill. It is in a secure hospital environment."