UK: Jail, but Only for White Men

Article here. Excerpt:

'In radical plans, the Sentencing Council for England and Wales (the body tasked with advising the judiciary on sentencing criminals fairly and consistently) is suggesting that judges and magistrates eschew short-term jail sentences in favour of more rehabilitative community orders. The consultation, published on Wednesday and running until February 2024, proposes a major revision to the imposition of community and custodial sentences guidelines, which date back to 2017—specifically, that unpaid work or drug treatment programmes should be handed down in lieu of prison time.
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The report gives particular attention to women, and argues that those who are pregnant, have dependents, and are either menopausal or aged between 45-55, should be spared jail time wherever possible. To support its case, the consultation cites the impressive disparity between reoffending rates—illustrating that female criminals were markedly less likely to reoffend when cautioned (12.1%), as opposed to those who were given a custodial sentence (56.1%). Even if one were on board with such plans, women are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ‘special cases’ under consideration.'