Protecting the public from crime

The Prime Minister has ordered an urgent review into the prison sentences of violent and sexual offenders to ensure the public are properly protected from the most dangerous criminals. 

• The review – beginning immediately – will focus on violent and sexual offenders, assessing if their sentences truly reflect the severity of their crimes. 
• It will look at whether we need to change the law so they cannot be let out if they have not served their full time. 
• Finally, it will examine how we can break the vicious cycle whereby prolific, repeat offenders go from crime to prison to crime again and to more and more serious offences. 

Why this matters: 

This review forms part of our efforts to crack down on crime, recruiting 20,000 new police officers, creating 10,000 new prison places and increasing stop and search powers. We, like the public, want dangerous criminals kept off our streets, and properly punished for their crimes.


This follows on from yesterday's statement in which the Prime Minister announced new measures to crack down on crime and reverse the balance of fear, creating 10,000 new prison places and enhancing stop and search powers to make our streets safer. 

• We will create 10,000 new prison places by building new modern, efficient prisons which will provide better opportunities to reform criminals, meaning less re-offending and a lower burden on the taxpayer. 
• We will enhance stop and search powers, giving the police our full support in combatting the scourge of serious violence and keeping people safe. 
• We will publish draft guidance on measures in the Offensive Weapons Act – paving the way for new criminal offences that will help to stop knives and dangerous acids making their way onto our streets.