Straw targets young offenders with 'short, sharp sentences'

Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, will unveil controversial plans today under which young men who commit anti-social crimes such as assault, car theft or vandalism would face a "short, sharp" prison sentence.

Mr Straw's move will further anger the penal reform lobby, which will warn that jailing young offenders at an earlier stage could just turn them into hardened criminals.

Critics will accuse him of repeating the mistakes of previous home secretaries, including the late Lord Whitelaw's"short, sharp shock" of the Eighties.

In a speech to the Central Probation Council in London, Mr Straw will demand more "progression" in sentencing, to ensure that persistent criminals receive a tougher punishment each time they commit another offence instead of a string of non-custodial sentences. He believes the courts are not allowed to take adequate account of previous convictions.

The new move is expected to result in a further rise in the prison population, which has increased from 60,335 to 64,632 since Labour came to power in 1997. However, Mr Straw believes his plan could reduce the figure in the long term, and hopes a "taste of prison" will act as a strong deterrent against committing more crimes.

Mr Straw's initiative will raise the stakes in the battle between Labour and the Tories over crime before William Hague addresses the Police Federation's conference on Thursday. An opinion poll last week showed that the Tories had regained their traditional lead on law and order, which Labour strategists believe will be a key general election issue.

A Labour source said last night: "We must crack down on the persistent offenders who come back to court time and time again. The sentencing system must be targeted more at reducing crime and reoffending. The system established by the Tories is failing to deal with those persistent criminals causing misery in communities."