The UK justice secretary, Alex Chalk, has announced that certain low-level offenders could be released up to 60 days early to ease overcrowding in English and Welsh jails. Last autumn, Chalk announced the release of less serious offenders up to 18 days early. The prison population in England and Wales has grown in recent years because of tougher sentencing rules and court backlogs. Labour criticised the move, accusing the government of “releasing prisoners in secret”. Activists at the Howard League, a charity promoting prison reform, have suggested that the UK’s prison estate should not hold more than 79,597 occupants.
Chalk has outlined additional measures to ensure the government has sufficient capacity to house serious offenders. These include creating a total of 20,000 prison places, increasing the number of foreign national offenders to be deported, and £53m of extra funding for improved bail procedures. The government also plans to commit £22m in 2024/25 to fund community accommodation.
The Ministry of Justice has projected the prison population could reach between 93,100 and 106,300 by March 2027. Figures from March 8 show the prison population stood at 88,220 in England and Wales, with an operational capacity of just over 89,000. Electronic monitoring of released prisoners will also be applied, subject to availability.
The prison services of Northern Ireland and Scotland are separate and devolved.
Shadow Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood criticised the Conservative government’s decision to grant increased early release, accusing the government of releasing prisoners in secret and extending the scheme indefinitely. Mahmood claimed that the failure to build enough prison places has led to the release of violent criminals and poses a threat to public safety. Labour has pledged to build more prisons to offset overcrowding and reduce reoffending
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