O'Donnell, IanIanO'Donnell2025-09-022025-09-022024-11-19Irish Judicial Studies Journalhttp://hdl.handle.net/10197/28856Short prison sentences are used frequently despite several obvious deficiencies. They are disruptive without being reformative, expensive, and contribute to prison overcrowding. The interests of justice would be better served by an increased reliance on community service and restorative justice, options that remain chronically underutilised despite their potential to offer a proportionate and effective response to minor offences.enPrison committalsPrison populationsPenal reformJournal Article821191362024-11-26https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ie/