James Timpson, newly elected prisons minister says only one third of prisoners should definitely be in prison.

He worked in prison reform for many years. He’s seen the cycle of petty offenders going in for shirt sentences, coming out and being sentenced again. Holland has shut half its prisons, preferring community sentences that have lower re-offending rates. Our previous government saw the solution as building more prisons. Other Northern European countries are less addicted to prison sentences and get better outcomes. I agree - this was the backdrop of work with offenders in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Alternatives to custody central .