Thousands of offenders who are serving controversial indefinite prison sentences will no longer have to wait 10 years before they can apply to have their licence terminated under changes announced by the government.
Reforms announced to address ‘stain’ of indefinite prison sentences
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said he was taking “decisive action” to reform the now-abolished imprisonment for public protection (IPP) regime after concerns were raised by campaigners and cross-party MPs, as reported by Sky News in September.
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said the reforms mean more than 1,800 offenders who have been seeing out their licence period in the community could see an end to their “unjust” sentences by March 2025, in addition to about 800 people who will be eligible to have their licence period reviewed by the Parole Board.
Campaigners welcomed the move but said they were “gravely disappointed that no reforms are proposed for people trapped in prison on IPP”.
What are IPP sentences?
IPP sentences were prison sentences without a release date that courts in England and Wales could impose between 2005 and 2012.
They were intended for the most serious violent and sexual offenders who posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public but whose crimes did not warrant a life term.
Although the government’s stated aim was public protection, concerns quickly grew that IPP sentences were being applied too broadly and catching more minor offenders – with many serving time in prison much longer than their initial term.
Politics news latest: Home secretary dodges question about ignoring international law
In light of the criticisms, IPPs were abolished in 2012 but the change was not applied retrospectively – meaning nearly 3,000 people remain behind bars under the regime.
There have long been calls from campaigners, including parliament’s own Justice Select Committee, for the government to resentence those still serving the abolished sentence.
However, successive governments have been reluctant to carry out a resentencing exercise on the grounds it could compromise public safety.
Under the IPP system, those who are released are done so on licence – during which time they can be recalled back to prison at any time if they breach certain conditions. Those on licence currently have to wait a minimum of 10 years before they can have it reviewed by the Parole Board.
The changes announced by Mr Chalk mean that those offenders who have been released from prison and are deemed to have been rehabilitated will now be referred for review after three years.
If the Parole Board does not terminate the licence after three years, it will automatically end after a further two years if the offender is not recalled to prison in that time – giving people a defined end date for their sentence for the first time.
11 years for stealing a phone: Inside the lives of IPP prisoners serving sentences of ‘psychological torture’
UN torture expert urges government to review ‘mess’ left by indefinite prison sentences
Those who have been recalled to prison or taken into secure hospitals will not be eligible.
Announcing the plans, Mr Chalk said the government was taking “decisive action to curtail IPP licence periods to give rehabilitated people the opportunity to move on with their lives”.
“This is a major step towards wiping away the stain of IPP sentences from our justice system, without compromising public protection,” he added.
‘One step along the road’
UNGRIPP, which campaigns on behalf of prisoners and ex-prisoners serving the IPP sentence in England and Wales, said that while it “welcomes” the justice secretary’s intervention, it was “gravely disappointed that no reforms are proposed for people trapped in prison on IPP”.
“Allowing the licence to automatically expire would give some of those serving IPP the things they lack most – certainty, hope, and the ability to plan for the future,” it said. “Things that the government itself acknowledges are crucial for reducing reoffending.
“However, we are gravely disappointed that no reforms are proposed for people trapped in prison on IPP – some as many as 18 years over tariff.
“Nobody should do 18 years longer than a judge deemed fair, in a system that time and again has proven itself unable to meet their needs.
“Today is only one step along the road to truly restoring justice and we hope that the justice secretary will consider going a step further to finally put an end to this injustice.”
News Related
-
In the saltmarsh fringing where the Ballyboe River dissolves into Trawbreaga Bay, a little egret wears its plumage like a windblown stole. Our car swoops across the 10 arches of Malin bridge and we park along the village green. Malin is almost as far north as you can get on ...
See Details:
Country diary: A tale of three churches
-
Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/EPA Hampton Court is an enduring monument to the power of Henry VIII, a pleasure palace down the Thames from Westminster and the City of London. On Monday it was the scene of power projection of a different kind, as Rishi Sunak pitched for investment from some of ...
See Details:
Sunak woos business elite with royal welcome – but they seek certainty
-
-
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to bring an overseas defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report. Postecoglou’s centre-back options The Lilywhites currently have Micky Van De Ven, Ashley Phillips, Cristian Romero and Eric ...
See Details:
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January
-
A £100m campaign urging households and businesses to use less water will be funded from customers’ bills, Ofwat has said. Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign The regulator’s chief executive David Black told MPs that if the measures worked it would be cheaper than building ...
See Details:
Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign
-
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Group B – Canada Training – Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia – July 24, 2023 Canada’s Christine Sinclair during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo (Reuters) – BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, will be renamed “Christine Sinclair ...
See Details:
Soccer-Venue renamed 'Christine Sinclair Place' for Canada soccer great's final game
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Phil Taylor makes his pick for 2024 World Darts Championship winner
-
Soccer Football – Champions League – Newcastle United Training – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 27, 2023 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron with teammates during training REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris St Germain looking to make the most of their ...
See Details:
Soccer-Howe aims to boost Newcastle's momentum in PSG clash
-
Soccer Football – Champions League – Newcastle United Training – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 27, 2023 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron with teammates during training REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris St Germain looking to make the most of their ...
See Details:
Hamilton heads for hibernation with a word of warning
-
Soccer Football – Champions League – Newcastle United Training – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 27, 2023 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron with teammates during training REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris St Germain looking to make the most of their ...
See Details:
Carolina Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich after 1-10 start to the season
-
Soccer Football – Champions League – Newcastle United Training – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 27, 2023 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron with teammates during training REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris St Germain looking to make the most of their ...
See Details:
This exercise is critical for golfers. 4 tips to doing it right
-
Soccer Football – Champions League – Newcastle United Training – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 27, 2023 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron with teammates during training REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris St Germain looking to make the most of their ...
See Details:
One in three households with children 'will struggle to afford Christmas'
-
Soccer Football – Champions League – Newcastle United Training – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 27, 2023 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron with teammates during training REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris St Germain looking to make the most of their ...
See Details:
Biden apologised to Palestinian-Americans for questioning Gaza death toll, says report
-
Soccer Football – Champions League – Newcastle United Training – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 27, 2023 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron with teammates during training REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris St Germain looking to make the most of their ...
See Details:
FA confident that Man Utd starlet will pick England over Ghana
OTHER NEWS
Michael Smith will begin the defence of his world title on the opening night (Picture: Getty Images) The 2024 World Darts Championship is less than three weeks away and the ...
Read more »
For the first time a long haul commercial aircraft is flying across the Atlantic using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A long haul commercial flight is flying to the US ...
Read more »
The King has met business and finance leaders from across the world at a Buckingham Palace reception to mark the conclusion of the UK’s Global Investment Summit. Charles was introduced ...
Read more »
After Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to Michigan Saturday, many college football fans were wondering where Lou Holtz was. In his postgame interview after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 17-14 in ...
Read more »
Darius Slay wouldn’t have minded being penalized on controversial no-call No matter which team you were rooting for on Sunday, we can all agree that the officiating job performed by ...
Read more »
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) Quarterback Mac Jones remains committed to finding success with the New England Patriots even though his future is up in the air following ...
Read more »
A weird blob of warm water has appeared in the western Pacific and could affect the weather across North America this winter. (Image credit: Climate.gov/NNVL) A weird blob of warm ...
Read more »