0h 5min, mar 23, 2026 y - Short Jail Terms Scrapping into Effect

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Most offenders in England and Wales who would have faced up to a year in jail are likely to receive no more than a suspended sentence from Monday, under one of the most significant changes to jail terms in decades.

Under the reform, courts must stop handing out such short prison terms other than in a number of specific or exceptional circumstances.

MPs passed the measure as part of the government's plan to end the population crisis in prisons - with rehabilitation experts saying there's no evidence short jail terms work.

Monday's reforms also include allowing judges to suspend jail sentences of up to three years - another measure which will slow down the rate at which criminals enter jails.

The Sentencing Act 2026, external, passed in January, is a wide-ranging package of measures which ministers hope will ease overcrowding in jails - but also lead to better rehabilitation

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