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Produced by the Sentencing Academy

Prison Sentences of 12 Months or Less

Key Facts and Statistics

by Annalena Wolcke

Last updated: Jul 2026

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Fact 1

55,238

PEOPLE RECEIVED SHORT PRISON SENTENCES (OF 12 MONTHS OR LESS) IN 20251

Fact 2

In 2025, short prison sentences made up

5%

of all primary
sentences imposed and

63%

of all prison
sentences imposed in
England & Wales.

Fact 3

Breakdown of Sentence Lengths, 2025

Fact 4

Most common offences leading to
prison sentences of 12 months or less

OffenceIndividuals
sentenced in 2025
1. Theft from a shop (shoplifting)13,263
2. Common assault and battery3,183
3. Breach of Restraining Order2,999
4. Assault of an emergency
worker		2,749
5. Knife possession (having an article with a blade or point in public)2,569
6. Burglary (in a building other than a dwelling)2,429

Fact 5

of all women

and

of all men

sentenced to prison received a short prison sentence in 2025

Fact 6

Re-offending Rates (2023)

For all sentences: 27%2

For prison sentences ≥12 months: 21%

For prison sentences <12 months: 60%

For prison sentences ≤6 months: 63%

Note: The Ministry of Justice defines reoffending as any offence committed in a one-year follow-up period that leads to a court conviction, caution, reprimand, or warning.

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This infographic is one of a series on sentencing trends in England & Wales. Others can be found here. For further information, contact Annalena Wolcke at [email protected]

  1. Facts 1-5: Data calculated from: Ministry of Justice (2026), Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: December 2025, published 30th of April. Outcomes by offence data tool, Table 2. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2025. ↩︎
  2. Fact 6: Data calculated from Ministry of Justice (2025). Proven reoffending statistics: October to December 2023, published 30th of October. Proven reoffending tables (3 monthly), October 2023 to December 2023, Table C2a.
    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/proven-reoffending-statistics-october-to-december-2023. ↩︎