Under new UK measures aimed at alleviating overcrowding in prisons, offenders who have previously reoffended or violated probation terms are being prematurely released.
Despite the UK Labour Party‘s existing early release initiative and efforts to transfer more offenders to open prisons, justice sources indicate that jails are nearing another capacity crisis.
Last month, authorities were directed to enact a policy that reduces the incarceration duration for prisoners recalled after an initial release.
The Observer has learned that this policy could soon affect over 1,000 inmates, potentially increasing the number of released offenders by around 400 at any given time.
A probation officer has expressed serious concerns about the scheme, which circumvents the Parole Board’s evaluations and instead allows releases directly through representatives of the justice secretary.
The officer, who remained anonymous, warned of the risks of releasing individuals who pose significant safety concerns to the community.
The new internal guidelines stipulate that to qualify for early release, offenders must be considered a low risk for serious recidivism, must not pose a high risk of serious harm, and must not be under investigation for a serious crime.
Notably, the guidelines mention that being charged or under investigation does not necessarily exclude an inmate from eligibility.
Exclusions from this scheme are limited to those serving life sentences, extended sentences, or indeterminate sentences intended for particularly dangerous offenders.
According to the UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ), this approach to re-release had previously been employed to manage between 1,000 and 1,600 releases annually until a significant decline from 2020 onwards.
The MoJ attributes this decline to a rise in the number of individuals held on recall, which reached a record high of nearly 13,000 at the end of last year in England and Wales.
Political sources have criticized the Conservative government for the reduced number of re-releases, citing a risk-averse attitude within the responsible HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) unit.
The government has also announced the imminent opening of a new 1,500-capacity prison, HMP Millsike, in Yorkshire, along with expansions at other facilities.
Mark Fairhurst, chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, highlighted that while these developments could alleviate overcrowding if completed on schedule, recent emergencies required the use of police cells for prisoner accommodation in parts of England.
The Public Accounts Committee has released a report stating that male prisons are critically overcrowded, and the MoJ’s projected expansions are significantly delayed and over budget.
As a result, the government’s plans to manage prison capacity face substantial challenges, heavily relying on uncertain future reductions in prisoner numbers.
The MoJ insists that the new policy will reintroduce more efficient recall system practices from the 2010s, ensuring public safety while managing the need for prison spaces for high-risk offenders.
