Oct 30, 2025 08:38 PM
(This post was last modified: Oct 30, 2025 08:49 PM by C C.)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93x001ve9ko
INTRO: Almost 40,000 prisoners in England and Wales have been released early since September 2024, official figures show. Their release was part of an emergency government scheme to help ease overcrowding in prisons. The Ministry of Justice figures show 38,042 were freed under the scheme between September 2024 and June 2025.
Last year, the Labour government introduced the measure after prisons almost reached full capacity. At one point, there were about a hundred spaces remaining across the male prison estate.
The then Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said at the time: "In short if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order".
The emergency scheme allows some inmates to be released after serving 40% of their fixed term sentence, rather than the usual 50%. It replaced a separate scheme introduced by the previous Conservative government. Under that process, 13,325 inmates were released early between October 2023 and September 2024.
Prison sources have told the BBC early releases have meant "more comings and goings" across the penal estate. The number of recalls - when offenders are released on license but are imprisoned again for breaching their conditions - has risen significantly over the last two years... (MORE - details)
INTRO: Almost 40,000 prisoners in England and Wales have been released early since September 2024, official figures show. Their release was part of an emergency government scheme to help ease overcrowding in prisons. The Ministry of Justice figures show 38,042 were freed under the scheme between September 2024 and June 2025.
Last year, the Labour government introduced the measure after prisons almost reached full capacity. At one point, there were about a hundred spaces remaining across the male prison estate.
The then Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said at the time: "In short if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order".
The emergency scheme allows some inmates to be released after serving 40% of their fixed term sentence, rather than the usual 50%. It replaced a separate scheme introduced by the previous Conservative government. Under that process, 13,325 inmates were released early between October 2023 and September 2024.
Prison sources have told the BBC early releases have meant "more comings and goings" across the penal estate. The number of recalls - when offenders are released on license but are imprisoned again for breaching their conditions - has risen significantly over the last two years... (MORE - details)