Custodial and Community Sentencing

Answer from Gareth Bacon

Ministry of Justice reoffending statistics show that those serving a sentence of six months or less have a 59% reoffending rate. For offenders punished with suspended sentences or community orders, the reoffending rate is 24%. The Department's 2019 analysis of a matched cohort of over 30,000 offenders showed lower reoffending rates for those serving sentences in the community when compared with immediate custody of less than 12 months. Community payback offers offenders an opportunity to make visible reparations to their local communities, and millions of hours are delivered each year. As an example, during the great British spring clean in March, offenders spent thousands of hours clearing litter across the country. We are trialling a new way to deliver community payback through the rapid deployment pilot launched last year, which sees incidents cleaned up within 48 hours' notice.

Answer from Gareth Bacon

I thank my hon. Friend for that sensible question. Community payback offers offenders an opportunity to make visible reparations to their local communities, and millions of hours are delivered each year. For the great British spring clean in March, offenders spent thousands of hours clearing litter across the country. We are trialling a new way to deliver community payback through the rapid deployment pilot launched last year, which sees incidents cleaned up within 48 hours' notice.

Answer from Gareth Bacon

I personally have not, but I gather that Ministry of Justice officials are abreast of restorative justice initiatives in Northern Ireland. I would like to meet the hon. Gentleman to hear more about it from him.