UNODC Education 4 Justice University Module Series: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice - Module 7: Alternatives to Imprisonment

The overuse of imprisonment is a major issue worldwide (Penal Reform International, 2018). The international community has recognized this and made a concerted effort to promote the use of alternatives to imprisonment and the principles that should underpin them (see for example: UNODC, 2006a). The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures ( The Tokyo Rules) hold that criminal justice systems should provide "a wide range of non-custodial measures, from pretrial to post sentencing dispositions", "consistent with the nature of the gravity of the offence, the personality and background of the offender and with the protection of society and to avoid unnecessary use of imprisonment" (1990, Rule 2.3). Importantly, alternatives to imprisonment play a significant role in many different legal systems. Indeed, in some jurisdictions, the majority of penal sanctions imposed are, in fact, non-custodial, and the numbers of offenders subject to community sanctions has grown rapidly in recent years (McNeill, 2013; 2018a). The overarching aim of this Module is to critically assess the use and implementation of alternatives to imprisonment at different stages of the criminal justice process.