- The UK is releasing 1,000 prisoners early to address overcrowding in jails.
- This follows the early release of 1,700 inmates last month due to a prison crisis.
- Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed past mistakes in the release process have been corrected.
- The review will explore tougher non-custodial punishments and the use of technology for compliance.
- The current prison population is around 89,000, with rising reoffending rates.
- The review aims to create a sustainable future for the justice system.
On Tuesday, the UK government is set to release a second batch of 1,000 prisoners early as part of a review aimed at addressing chronic overcrowding in its jails. This follows a controversial policy that saw the early release of 1,700 inmates last month.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood assured that previous errors, which resulted in 37 ineligible prisoners being mistakenly freed, have now been resolved. The ongoing review will explore options for implementing stricter non-custodial sentences for certain offenders to ensure that prison space is reserved for more dangerous criminals. Proposed measures include the use of “nudge” technology, such as watches or apps designed to encourage compliance with conditions imposed on offenders, along with home detention curfews.
Under the early release scheme, some non-violent offenders who meet specific conditions can be released after serving 40% of their sentence, compared to the standard 50%. Former Justice Secretary David Gauke, who is chairing the review, noted that the current prison population is around 89,000 and increases by approximately 4,500 each year, with 90% of those sentenced to custody being reoffenders.
Mahmood highlighted that the early release initiative was necessitated by a prison crisis inherited from the previous Conservative government. She revealed that upon taking office in early July, the new Labour government found the prison system nearing “collapse,” which could have led to a breakdown of law and order. “In August of this year, we were down to fewer than 100 places across the whole country,” she stated in an interview with Sky News.
Gauke, who previously argued for the abolition of short jail terms (six months or less) for non-violent offenses, asserted that the current reoffending rates indicate that prisons are “clearly… not working.” He emphasized that the review will examine the future of punishment and rehabilitation in the 21st century, aiming to steer the justice system away from crisis toward a sustainable long-term solution.
