Criminals sentenced to less than a year behind bars should avoid jail time entirely, according to an independent review commissioned by the Labour justice secretary Shabana Mahmood.
In a bid to tackle the overcrowding crisis besetting Britain's prisons, it suggests a custodial sentence should not the norm when handing out a sentence of 12 months or less, The Telegraph reported.
The review, chaired by former Tory justice secretary David Gauke, instead suggests that magistrates and judges consider suspended or deferred sentences - as well as community punishments.
That means that offenders will have to commit to treatment plans to address their underlying alcohol or drug issues and do a set amount of community service.
Under the new plans, if criminals reoffend or violate the terms of their sentence then they would be sent to prison.
