Probation union criticises 'wasteful' short jail terms

Napo, the probation officers' union, said at least 74 per cent of prisoners serving terms of less than 12 months were reconvicted within two years.

But this drops to 50 per cent for those placed on probation, and falls further to 34 per cent for those handed intensive programmes, Napo said.

The union said about 55,000 people a year currently receive jail terms of six months or less, with no possibility of rehabilitation, at an annual cost of 350m.

To supervise the offenders in the community would cost between 50m and 60m.

Instead of cutting probation budgets, the union said the Government should spend the more on extra probation staff to supervise programmes for offenders.

These deal with violent offending, alcohol and substance abuse, anger management, domestic violence and sex offending.

Napo assistant general secretary Harry Fletcher said: "Currently, 55,000 people receive custodial sentences of six months or less, where no rehabilitation is possible and there are extremely high re-offending rates. This costs the taxpayer at least 350m a year.

"As an alternative, the majority of these individuals could be supervised in the community on intensive programmes costing between 50m and 60m a year. Not only would this option be cheaper, but the reconviction rates would be much lower.

"It does seem extraordinary, therefore, that the Government is actually cutting probation budgets, which is bound to lead to more, not less, custodial sentences, worse reconviction rates and therefore more victims."