Presumption Against Short Sentences

The extended presumption against short sentences has led to a decline of custodial sentences of 12 months or less, but its full impact remains unclear due the Covid-19 pandemic. Scotland's chief statistician today published a bulletin on the presumption against short sentences (PASS), which was exte

The presumption against short sentences has been extended to 12 months, after MSPs voted 83-26 in favour of the change. The Scottish government cliams such sentences often disrupt factors that can help prevent offending, including family relationships, housing, employment and access to healthcare an

Vulnerable women will benefit from reforms which will encourage judges to consider community sentences above "ineffective" short prison sentences of 12 months or less, according to the Scottish government.Around 90 per cent of women sent to prison are given a custodial sentence of a year or less and

A judge has warned that plans to increase the presumption against short sentences to 12 months could affect those currently sentenced to 18 months, The Herald reports. Lord Turnbull, a former chairman of the Scottish Sentencing Council, told the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee that because a

Holyrood’s Justice Committee is to hold its first evidence session on a Scottish government proposal to extend the presumption against short sentences from three months or less to twelve months or less. Although courts would retain the power to sentence as they see fit, the legislation would m

The existing presumption against short prison sentences will be extended from three to 12 months and come into force this summer, subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament. People released from a custodial sentence of 12 months or less are reconvicted nearly twice as often as those sen

Jail terms of under six months are to be banned in England and Wales as the UK government follows Scotland's lead. Justice Secretary David Gauke said that in some cases “prison isn’t working” and that he would “legislate if necessary” in order to prevent judges sentenci