IAIN Duncan Smith has called for 'farcical' shorter prison sentences to be scrapped.

The Woodford Green MP said jail terms of less than two months should be replaced with probation courses to help prevent criminals re-offending.

Mr Duncan Smith made the comments after the release of a new report on tackling re-offending by Tory think tank The Centre for Social Justice yesterday (Monday).

The MP - who heads the CSJ - said the current system was not doing enough to rehabilitate repeat offenders.

The report said courts should be given the power to rapidly imprison any criminals who breach the terms of their probation.

It also calls for more emphasis to be put on the rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics.

The think tank calculates that the proposals could save the Government up to £11bn a year.

Home secretary, Jack Straw, has promised to study the report.