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In England and Wales, nearly 40,000 inmates have been released early since September 2024 according to official data. This initiative was implemented by the government as a means to alleviate the overcrowding predicament within prisons. Throughout the period from September 2024 to June 2025, a total of 38,042 individuals were granted early release under this program.
The decision to introduce this emergency scheme was made by the Labour government last year when it became apparent that prisons were nearing full capacity. The male prison estate was particularly strained at one point, with only about one hundred spaces left. At that time, the then Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, emphasized the urgent need for action to prevent the collapse of the criminal justice system and maintain law and order.
Under the emergency scheme, certain prisoners are eligible for release after serving 40% of their fixed term sentence, rather than the standard 50%. This measure supplanted a previous scheme put forth by the prior Conservative government, which resulted in the early release of 13,325 individuals between October 2023 and September 2024. Sources within the prison system have noted increased movement across penal facilities due to the influx of early releases.
The surge in recalls to prison, instances where offenders are reincarcerated for violating their release terms, has been substantial over the past couple of years. The number of recalls between April and June 2025 stood at 11,041, marking a significant escalation from the figures observed in previous years. This spike is attributed to the early release scheme, which prompted a larger volume of individuals being discharged to free up space within prisons
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