Interventions Alliance has today shared our response to the Government’s Sentencing Review which calls for greater focus on rehabilitation and community reparation.

Current sentencing practices lean heavily on the use of prison, with short custodial sentences proving less effective at supporting people to turn away from crime than community orders. Research consistently shows that people given community-based sanctions reoffend at lower rates, particularly when supported by high-quality probation work. This imbalance calls for a rethinking of how we measure justice and public safety.

Key proposals include:

• Referral to behaviour change programmes at point of sentencing: Where behaviour change programmes are available to address offending behaviour (e.g., domestic violence or stalking and harassment), referrals should be automatic and those that can afford to pay for their programme should do so.
• Refocussing sentencing into an opportunity for rehabilitation: Transforming Pre-Sentencing Reports into Sentencing and Rehabilitation Reports to ensure that rehabilitation is given equal weight alongside punishment. This change would require courts and probation professionals to actively consider support and interventions that reduce reoffending.
• Tailored Community Orders: Introducing targeted orders such as a Young Adult Community Order, Home Custody Orders for older offenders, and Community Sanction and Rehabilitation Orders for women. These measures aim to address the specific risks and needs of different offender groups while preserving family ties and community cohesion.
• Technology with a Human Touch: Utilising technology – like AI and sobriety tags – to improve supervision in community settings. However, such tools must enhance personal engagement rather than replace the critical human connection between probation officers and offenders.
• Strategic Resource Allocation: Shifting funding from prison-based to community-based initiatives, investing in employment, education, and family-centred interventions that help break cycles of intergenerational offending.