A FEW facts for the ‘Hang em’, ‘Shoot em’ ‘Flog em’ brigade to digest regarding the effects of short-term prison sentences: The National Audit Office reports that around 60,000 persons are jailed each year for less than twelve months. This group have the highest re-offending rate.

Approximately 10% of a total of 82,000 prisoners currently inside the prison system are serving less than twelve months.

The annual cost to the taxpayer for the 60,000 who serve these short-term sentences is £300 million.

Short-sentence criminals tend to have the highest number of convictions.

Whilst in prison there is little or no activity aimed at this group to help them.

Peter Dunn (via email).