Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2019 to Question 220842 on Shoplifting: Sentencing, what the average number of previous offences committed by those sent to prison for a theft from a shop or stall offence was in each of the last three years.

Following on from Lucy Frazer’s response of 19 February to Question 220841, data on the average number of previous shoplifting offences resulting in a conviction or caution for those offenders sentenced to immediate custody for a shoplifting offence, covering the period year ending September 2016 - year ending September 2018, can be viewed in the table.

There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other similar people given community orders.

Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.