Andrew Neilson, Director of Campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, kicks off this new series of interviews about the MoJ’s probation reform programme: Transforming Rehabilitation.

Andrew welcomes the new supervision and support that short term prisoners will be offered under TR but is concerned that the new system will be fragmented.

He also voices the major concern that magistrates will impose short prison sentences instead of community sentences, safe in the knowledge that offenders will receive support on release.

Andrew worries that, rather than reducing reoffending rates, Transforming Rehabilitation might actually increase the number of people in prison.

You can follow Andrew on Twitter – @NeilsonAndrew