Written questions

Sentencing: Young Offenders

Commons · Question 3142 · Tabled 19 May 2026 · Ministry of Justice · Official record

Answered 29 May 2026

Question

Asked by Andrew Snowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of short custodial sentences on youth reoffending rates.

Answer

Answered by Jake Richards, 29 May 2026

More than two-thirds of children released from custodial sentences of twelve months or less in 2023/24 went on to reoffend within a year. They provide limited time for rehabilitation and can disrupt education, family ties, and support networks, which are ...