The British government’s early release scheme, which was implemented to help ease the overcrowding in prisons, has caused controversy after one of the first prisoners released allegedly committed a sexual offence merely hours after leaving. It has now been revealed that the man, Amari Ward, was released in error. Ward was one of 37 prisoners who had been jailed for breaching restraining orders and were wrongly let out earlier in the month. It was only after Ward’s case was investigated that officials became aware that dozens of prisoners had been mistakenly released.
According to the Ministry of Justice, five of the men who were released have still not been located. The department has confirmed that the police are urgently working to track them down. Ward is due to attend Maidstone Crown Court next month. The UK government previously stated that those who have been convicted of crimes related to domestic abuse would not be eligible for early release. Despite this, the crimes of 37 men were wrongly prosecuted under outdated legislation from 1997, meaning the system did not recognise they were ineligible for early release.
Following the incident, the former chief inspector of prisons, Nick Hardwick, expressed his concern about the impact these early releases could have on victims. Although the MoJ has confirmed that 32 of the men who were mistakenly released have been placed back in custody, the remaining five are still being searched for. It has also been confirmed that the issue has been fixed for forthcoming early releases and that all victims have since been contacted.
This mistake highlights the potential difficulties of introducing new policies and schemes without sufficient planning and consideration. Although the early release scheme aimed to address prison overcrowding, this case demonstrates the risks associated with releasing prisoners without a proper understanding of the rules and regulations for early release and taking into account the safety of victims who may come into contact with these offenders
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