Archbishop Richard Moth, Liaison Bishop for Prisons for the Bishops’ Conference, has welcomed the implementation of the Sentencing Act 2026 that has seen significant reform to short jail terms. The changes came into force on Monday, 23 March.
“I welcome the recent introduction of the reform of short prison sentences. In my role as Liaison Bishop for Prisons, I have repeatedly advocated for a statutory presumption against short custodial sentences, except as a last resort.
“The changes to our sentencing practices in the Sentencing Act 2026 will see the suspension of custodial sentences of 12 months or less, unless there are special or exceptional circumstances. Short prison sentences are known to be less effective than community sentences in reducing reoffending. Our overuse of short sentences has compounded the problem of prison overcrowding.
“However, we urge the Ministry of Justice to ensure that our probation service is appropriately resourced so that it can effectively manage and rehabilitate the greater number of people who will now be serving community sentences.
“Any sentencing regime must provide justice for victims, just punishment for offences, and the realistic possibility of rehabilitation for offenders. As we argued in our recent publication on criminal justice – Remember Me: A Catholic Approach to Criminal Justice – short prison sentences often fail to achieve these goals. Their replacement is welcome.”
The Most Reverend Richard Moth
Liaison Bishop for Prisons
Chair, Department for Social Justice of the Bishops’ Conference
Archbishop of Westminster
