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Centre for Crime Prevention

Building a low crime society through evidence-based policy

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Media Enquiries

Research Director: David Spencer
07444 227265
e: info@centreforcrimeprevention.com

Soft sentencing for animal cruelty

13,835 crimes were committed by those with a previous conviction or caution for animal cruelty offences This report from the Centre for Crime Prevention reveals that those convicted of cruelty to animals in recent years had in the vast majority of cases already been convicted of other offences. They went on to commit thousands of…

Read more Soft sentencing for animal cruelty

Campaigning for Better Prevention of Crime

There are a large number of charities and campaign groups in the UK arguing that prison is ineffective, or that policing should be more restrained. There are many charities working full-time for the interests of criminals and prisoners. Few make the case for zero tolerance policing or tougher sentencing. Few represent victims and potential victims of crime.

This is in spite of overwhelming evidence that probation, community sentencing and releasing prisoners while they are still a threat to the public fails – and prison works. It is also in spite of public opinion, which is consistently on the side of evidence-based criminal justice policies.

Read more Campaigning for Better Prevention of Crime

Media Coverage

The Centre for Crime Prevention has received coverage from a variety of media and press previously, including BBC Sunday Morning Live, ITV Daybreak, Sky News, the Daily Telegraph, The Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express, the Mirror, the Daily Star, and the Northern Echo.

Click below to find a selection of these.

Read more Media Coverage

29,000 criminals avoided prison despite 25 or more previous convictions

Research from the Centre for Crime Prevention reveals the scale of soft justice for prolific offenders, with some criminals avoiding prison despite 300 or more previous convictions or cautions.

Data from Freedom of Information requests shows that almost 112,000 criminals found guilty of at least their sixth offence in 2012 avoided prison. More than 55,000 avoided prison despite 15 or more previous offences – and just under 29,000 avoided prison despite 25 or more previous offences.

Take a look at our report on prolific criminals.

Highlighting the prevalence of suspended sentences

In 2012/13, 11,670 serious offenders walked free from court with a suspended sentence – despite more than 10 previous convictions.

Suspended sentences are now handed out for tens of thousands of violent, property and sexual offences each year, ranging from spitting at people to manslaughter. They include throwing fireworks into a crowd, theft, molesting children, assault, taking a bomb into a hotel running a brothel, benefit fraud, burglary, faking one’s death, strangling a cat and sex with a dog. One judge claims they are being used “A bit like confetti”.

Take a look at our report on suspended sentences.

The revolving door nature of community sentences

The current revolving door system of community sentences is failing to protect the public, and is producing higher reoffending rates than all but the shortest prison sentences.

Almost 8,000 criminals sent to prison in 2011/12 had previously been given 11 or more community sentences – and 407 were given 21 or more. More than three quarters of those sent to prison had previously been given at least one community sentence, and more than half of all offenders had previously been given at least one community sentence.

Read our report on community sentences.

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