Bridget Phillipson: ‘Community sentences can be effective at reducing reoffending’  

Justice Secretary’s Ken Clarke’s ill-advised and inaccurate comments on rape have rightly caused controversy. It’s deeply worrying that he made a distinction between “date” rape and “serious” rape. He hadn’t even bothered to speak to any victims of rape before saying that convicted rapists should face shorter prison sentences. Last year the Government was forced to back down when it announced plans to give anonymity to defendants in rape trials. Victims and their families have many justifiable grievances with our criminal justice system and much more needs to be done to support them. Clarke’s comments and this planned policy will......