Justice That Fits the Crime

Britain's prisons are close to full. In 2024 the government released thousands of prisoners early to free up places, a policy few voters asked for and fewer welcomed. A justice system that cannot hold those it convicts is not, in any meaningful sense, working.

We favour a tiered approach. Petty and non-violent offenders should be dealt with through cheaper, work-based and supervised regimes that keep them out of the costly prison estate. The most dangerous offenders should face long, secure sentences, with resources directed to protecting the public rather than to comfort.

Context matters too. The law already recognises mitigating and aggravating factors, but the public often senses they are applied unevenly. A parent who acts in the immediate aftermath of discovering abuse of their child is not in the same moral position as a premeditated attacker, and sentencing should reflect that clearly and consistently.

Equally, the right to defend oneself is not a licence for revenge. A citizen who uses reasonable force, then calls for help and hands himself in, deserves very different treatment from one who sets out to punish. Courts must balance understandable anger with proportion,