What is Impact?

In February 2008, the Government announced an additional £40 million for Probation Services to reduce the short-term prison population. London Probation was awarded a proportion of this funding and is using the Impact Programme to achieve this objective.

The overall aim of Impact is to build on the current provision of sentencing options and to improve their range and quality. We will also be implementing new alternatives to provide Sntencers with more effective sentencing options than short-term custody.

This will, in turn, improve public protection through reduced re-offending and a reduction in the volume of short-term prison sentences and the associated costs.

Key statistics:

· In 2007, 5,628 London offenders were sentenced to custody for 12 months or less

· Of the above cohort, 68% of offenders are serving a sentence of 6 months or less

· Offenders who receive short-term custody have the highest actual re-offending rates -73.4%.