UK prisons have begun releasing offenders early as part of a government scheme to deal with jail overcrowding across the country, according to media reports. The plan will reportedly see 5,500 people receive early release in September and October alone.
Over 1,700 convicts are set to be let out on Tuesday in England and Wales, where the prison population hit an all-time high of 88,521 last week.
The Mirror reported that inmates were spotted leaving HM Prison Brixton on Tuesday. It is expected that those serving short sentences including burglars and shoplifters will be among the early releases.
UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said the measure is being implemented “to avert a disaster,” given that only around 1,000 jail places are left available. Mahmood pointed the finger at the previous government, saying its failure to deal with the capacity crisis has left prisons “on the point of collapse.”
The Labour Party took control of government after defeating the Conservatives by a landslide in the country’s July election. The Tories suffered their worst-ever election defeat, while Labour’s victory brought a new party to power for the first time in 14 years.
A previous scheme allowed prisoners to be freed up to 70 days early, but critics said the plan meant only a day’s notice would be given before an inmate was released.
Labour’s new scheme is expected to address that issue by giving probation services enough time to prepare for the release and monitoring of offenders.
The early release scheme will not apply to anyone convicted of violent offenses, sexual offenses, or terrorism-related offenses. Prisoners with sentences of four years or less may be released after serving 40% of the term.
HMP Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor told Sky News that the plan is “risky” and could create “more mayhem in communities.”
Meanwhile, the chief inspector of probation, Martin Jones, told the BBC that it is a “certainty” that some of the released prisoners will reoffend.
The Telegraph reported last week that the British Ministry of Justice was also evaluating an option to send some of the country’s criminals to serve sentences in Estonian prisons. The Baltic state, which has a low crime rate, had announced last month it could rent out prison space and host criminals from other countries to generate revenue for the state budget. However, British officials have been concerned that the idea could turn out to be “very expensive,” the report said.
The British prison population is projected to increase to between 94,600 and 114,800 by March 2028.