Criminal Justice System comment

Following reports on John Reid’s move to urge judges and magistrates to limit jail sentences, Jan Berry, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales said:

“The criminal justice system is failing the victims of crime, future victims of crime and the police service. It is essential the sentences passed are appropriate and not a result of any other factors such as the chronic shortage of prison places.
This is a problem that has been caused by under-investment from the Home Office and when one considers that there will be less police officers on our streets as the result of further cuts we have to ask who will be protecting the public from those the courts have let back out?

It makes mockery of criminal justice system where sentences are rarely completed in first place anyway. The safety of the public is paramount. If we're kicking people out earlier then that is ludicrous and hugely demoralising for police officers who work hard to protect society from offenders”