‘This Government will give courts new powers to hand down tough community sentences that restrict the freedoms of offenders outside of jail’, the Justice Secretary writes for The Sunday Mirror
Whatever the crime, there must be consequences.
For some offenders, that will mean time behind bars. For others, it may mean a punishment in the community. Too often, community sentences like these have felt like little more than a slap on the wrist. That must end.
I am clear that if you break our laws, for whatever crime, you should lose your liberty – whether you are serving your sentence inside prison, or outside it. That’s why this Government will give courts new powers to hand down tough community sentences that restrict the freedoms of offenders outside of jail too.
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Just like criminals are forced to give up what they like when they spend a stint in jail, those on community sentences must be forced to sacrifice too. Take football, as the new season starts. For many fans, their time on the terraces is the highlight of their week.
But crooks who cause chaos on our streets could soon be banned from stadiums – stranded at home while their mates cheer from the stands. Or holidays. Lawbreakers may dream of sun, sea and sangria each Summer.
But they won’t get far – because tough new enforcement means probation officers can send them back to prison if they try. This is about punishing criminals for the harm they have done. It is also about protecting victims.
We’re bringing in new restriction zones that will fence the worst offenders into a single area. This will mean victims can go wherever they want without fear of the person who hurt them watching over their shoulder.
The Probation Service will also be able to apply these bans to lags leaving prison. And we’ll keep a closer eye on them by fitting tens of thousands more with electronic tags. And we’re not stopping there. Probation officers will also be able to drug test more released offenders and haul them back to court if they’re up to no good. Back in the dock, they’ll face being sent back behind bars.
These changes are all part of our Plan for Change in this country. They’re about making sure criminals face up to what they’ve done – and the justice system stands squarely on the side of victims. My message today is clear: do the crime and you will pay the price.
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