Home Secretary John Reid has written to judges and magistrates, urging them to keep all but the most violent offenders out of prison because of overcrowding.

This is not a suggestion that will go down well with the public or crime victims. How are our courts expected to dispense justice when their hands are tied?

Sentencing is already difficult enough. Judges and magistrates have to interpret often ambiguous guidelines, and bear in mind a host of other factors as well.

They are already often criticised for "soft sentencing". The last thing they need is a politician telling them jail is no longer an option.

It is up to politicians to sort out the shortage of prison places. It is not their place to interfere in the judicial process.

As the chairman of York magistrates, Richard Goodacre, says today, the judiciary is independent of political control. "Where a custodial sentence is warranted, we will continue to sentence offenders to custody," he said.

Quite right. Victims of crime and the public at large would expect no less.