A recent announcement from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has confirmed that in order to address the issue of overcrowded prisons, prisoners will be temporarily held in police cells under emergency measures known as Operation Safeguard. The government plans to free up 200 cells through this initiative, which is anticipated to last for a period of two months but may be prolonged based on the capacity of prisons. This development comes ahead of the opening of a new prison in York, HMP Millsike, which is expected to provide 1500 additional spaces and alleviate pressure on the criminal justice system.
Despite the prison system nearing full capacity, the MoJ asserts that there is still some space available. Data released on Monday revealed that the number of individuals in custody has reached a six-month peak, with a total of 87,556 prisoners currently held. The male prison estate is currently operating at over 99% occupancy, according to the MoJ. Operation Safeguard has been enacted on multiple occasions in response to heightened demand for prison space, including in May 2024 and February 2023.
A spokesperson for the MoJ acknowledged the inherited crisis within the prison system and emphasized that the recent measures aim to provide temporary relief while the government endeavors to construct an additional 14,000 new prison places and reform sentencing. In the past year, over 2000 prisoners were released early as part of an emergency strategy to alleviate overcrowding, with offenders serving long sentences being released on license after a significant portion of their term had been served. Notably, individuals convicted of severe offenses such as violent crimes, sex offenses, and acts of terrorism were not eligible for early release. The government has also unveiled a comprehensive plan to deliver an additional 14,000 prison places in England and Wales by 2031, which includes the construction of new prisons, the addition of new blocks to existing facilities, and the establishment of temporary cells
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