Petition Introduce National Service as a sentancing option

The courts should be able to sentance convicted prisoners to a period of National Serivce.This would address a number of issues;
1) Our prisons are overcrowded and very expensive. By sending a large number of offenders into national service, as opposed to prison, will reduce the number of convicted prisoners having to enter HMP and reduce the cost of their sentance.
2) The army can teach prisoners self respect, discipline and give them purpose, prehaps even be provided with skills and qualifications.
3) A stint in the army can actively make prisoners contribute to society.
4) The army is being cut by the austerity measures. National service could help bolster numbers in the army and bridge the gap.
5) Army bases around the country are having to be closed. Save one or two and use them for national service, funded through the savings made from the prison system.