UK has run out of prison places, so WHY NOT RELEASE NON-VIOLENT PRISONERS?

We now have victims of violent crime worrying about the likely early release of those convicted for those violent crimes!!

The very obvious solution is to stop sending non-violent criminals to prison! Use the saving to hire loads of probation officers to handle community punishment (street cleaning, fruit-picking, that sort of stuff) and sentence people who have committed non-violent crime – fraudsters, scammers, pickpockets etc. – to years of free community service and get the regime in place, to make sure they do it. Yes, some may argue that what is the deterrence? Well, prison time. Many of they will opt to comply to avoid going back to prison.

Use that to clear out the prisons so there is always ample space for violent criminals to go to prison and serve their full sentences. No early release.

It really should have been the law anyway. Jailing non-violent criminals, is a complete waste of time and taxpayers money. Get them to do free community work instead, and they would have most likely lost their reputation and employment anyway. Jailing them is utter madness. Especially when we are now releasing violent criminals early, to make space in prisons, only for them to come out and commit worse, violent crimes.