Longer prison sentences deter re-offending, study shows

Criminals who are jailed for longer are less likely to reoffend after being released than those serving shorter sentences, according to official figures.

By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor 10th May 2011

Offenders released from longer sentences also go on to commit fewer crimes after being released than those serving shorter jail terms, the Ministry of Justice said.

According to the figures, only a third of offenders given sentences of between two and four years went back to crime within a year. By contrast, some 43 per cent of those jailed for between a year and two years went on to reoffend.

It is the first time such research has been carried out and fuels the growing row over the role of prison in Kenneth Clarke’s sentencing reforms.

The Justice Secretary has been criticised for plans to send fewer criminals to prison, including an attack by Lord Howard, the former Tory leader who once famously said “prison works”.

Mr Clarke has admitted it was a “national scandal” that, overall, up to half of all offenders go back to crime.

But he will seize on separate figures that showed reoffending rates were lower for community penalties than they were for very short prison terms.

In 2008, the latest year for which figures are available, 35.7 per cent of criminals sentenced to between two and four years reoffended within 12 months, compared with 42.9 per cent of those sentenced to between one and two years.

Those serving the longer sentences committed an average of 1.075 further offences after being released, compared with an average of 1.347 offences for those on the shorter sentences.
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