The United Kingdom is set to introduce a comprehensive plan aimed at reducing crime and strengthening public safety, featuring unprecedented powers for judges to impose restrictions on offenders after their release from prison. Announced on August 24 by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the reforms represent a significant shift in the approach to community punishments, probation supervision, and sentencing practices across England and Wales.

Under the new measures, offenders could face bans from pubs, concerts, and sports events, alongside geographic exclusion zones, travel restrictions, and driving limitations, depending on the nature of their offense. The plan seeks to extend the range of punishments available to judges beyond the current framework, which primarily includes targeted bans such as stadium bans for football-related offenses. Mahmood emphasized that the expansion of these powers is designed to ensure that community sentences are meaningful, effective, and act as a deterrent to repeat offending.

“Widening the range of punishments available to judges is part of our Plan for Change to cut crime and make streets safer,” Mahmood stated. “When criminals break society’s rules, they must be punished. Those serving their sentences in the community must have their freedom restricted there too.” She added that the reforms would serve as a reminder that “under this Government, crime does not pay.”

A key component of the new strategy is the extension of mandatory drug testing. Previously,........

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