Thousands of prisoners in British jails were scheduled for early release on Tuesday as part of the government’s efforts to address severe overcrowding. Recent figures indicate that the prison population in England and Wales has reached its highest-ever level. However, to mitigate concerns about reoffending, the government emphasized that violent offenders and domestic abusers would not be eligible for early release.
Business Minister Jonathan Reynolds stated on Sky News that it was “a difficult decision” to release approximately 1,700 prisoners. Downing Street defended the policy as necessary to prevent “unchecked criminality,” given the lack of available prison spaces. Reynolds criticized the previous Conservative government, ousted in July, for not addressing the issue earlier.
Chief Inspector of Probation Martin Jones highlighted the extreme pressure on the prison system, noting that the current population is near full capacity, with only a few hundred spaces remaining. He warned that reoffending is inevitable, as about one-third of those released from prison each year reoffend within a year.
While the government aims to prevent overcrowding, those involved in recent anti-immigration riots across England will not be excluded from the early release plans.
