The whole shebang, criminals, like sex offenders and domestic abusers, could potentially be let loose from the slammer after only serving a third of their sentence. The goal? Free up some much-needed space in those overcrowded jails. This little gem comes from a sentencing policy review led by former Conservative justice secretary, David Gauke. Word on the street is that he’s got a whole slew of measures up his sleeve to toss the Government’s way on Thursday, all in a bid to ease the overcrowding situation.
The nitty-gritty of this proposal is that it applies to folks serving your run-of-the-mill determinate sentences, which are the most common type of jail time. We’re talking about sentences here, not so much the type of offense. So, you guessed it, even violent criminals could get in on the action. Sounds like a party, doesn’t it? Inmates would only have to serve a third of their sentence behind bars, another third on the streets under supervision, and the rest scot-free, without a probation officer breathing down their necks. But here’s the kicker – if they decide to act up during their time on the outside, they’ll find themselves right back where they started, finishing up their original sentence plus some extra time for good measure.
Seems like the bigwigs in charge are all on board with this plan, along with a few other goodies. It’s all about giving these offenders a chance to prove they can behave themselves and chip in with some rehabilitation efforts while they’re locked up. The idea is to have different thresholds for release, depending on how well-behaved these criminals have been. The length of time spent in the clink will be like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get. And if you’re a real troublemaker, you might find yourself stuck behind bars for a bit longer. It’s all about incentives, you know, just like they do over in Texas.
