Planning Application

"Many offenders commit crimes so serious, or so persistently, that they must be imprisoned. Custodial sentences contribute to public safety by keeping criminals off the streets". So said the Ministry of Justice’s Single Departmental Plan for 2015 -20 published three years ago. Contrast the punitive tone with the newest version of the Plan published this week.  Yes, one of the objectives is still protecting the public from harm caused by offenders. But meeting it involves not more imprisonment but building confidence in an effective probation system, reducing the use of prison and increasing the use of community and alternative sentences.

These kinds of documents are not really plans at all but broad statements of intent – yet the shift in emphasis in this one is welcome for two reasons. First, it’s a sign that the ill wind of Transforming Rehabilitation has led to probation getting long overdue recognition in Whitehall and the more careful attention it deserves. The Departmental Plan says future reform will place a stronger emphasis on the quality of relationships between offenders and probation officers and ensure offenders get access to services that support their rehabilitation; and recognise the skills and professionalism of the probation workforce. That’s some sort of reparation at least for the ideological vandalism wrought on probation in recent years, and a welcome focus on improving practice.  

Second, the Ministry of Justice has put into a planning cycle, however fragile that may turn out to be, commitments for getting prison numbers down. Okay the plan is only to “develop” options for restricting the use of short custodial sentences and “consider” ways to increase the use of non-custodial sanctions. The Justice Committee will not be satisfied with that, writing only this week to Justice Secretary David Gauke asking for more detail on the options for abolishing short prison terms and the time frame under which the Government will be taking this forward.

It must now be unlikely either that Gauke gets firm proposals on sentencing out in the next few weeks, or that he continues in post beyond that.  What this Plan suggests is that he is trying not just to leave a progressive legacy but to influence his successor’s policy choices in a sensible direction.  It may not work- it’s easy to envisage harsher penal policy forming part of a new Prime Minister’s efforts to keep their party together- damaging, unnecessary and expensive though that may be.

If the new government reverts to a  “prison works” policy , this week’s Single Departmental Plan will count for little.  As Mike Tyson put it, “Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth”.