ShortSighted campaign: ending short prison sentences

Every year the UK sends 30,000 people to prison for an ineffective, damaging, disruptive short sentence – We asked the government to review this and introduce a new presumption against the use of short custodial sentences of less than six months.

We also asked to strengthen community sentences so that they command public confidence and are better able to deal effectively with some of the underlying causes of persistent, petty offending, including drug or alcohol addiction and mental ill-health.

Revolving Doors won and in March 2026 the Sentencing Act announced a presumption to suspend short sentences, since then we have worked to help the Ministry of Justice understand how to make this work for those in the revolving door in practice.