England and Wales begin latest early-release scheme for prisoners
The first wave of a new early-release programme has begun in England and Wales, with about 700 offenders expected to leave prison on Thursday amid overcrowding. The government plans further releases while excluding some offenders, including people convicted of manslaughter. Officials say released prisoners will face intensive supervision.
About 700 offenders were expected to leave prisons across England and Wales on Thursday as the government began its latest early-release programme to address overcrowding. The first releases took place at prisons including Wandsworth, Durham and Cardiff. Some prisoners leaving the institutions thanked Andy Burnham, who intervened to reduce the scale of the programme, while others spoke to journalists about their release and the conditions they had experienced in prison.
The government plans to release about 2,000 people, including domestic abusers and violent offenders, over the next month, followed by another 3,000 in stages during the next year. The number was reduced from 6,000 after Burnham’s intervention. People convicted of manslaughter are excluded.
The prison population in England and Wales stood at 87,499 on Monday, according to Ministry of Justice data, up from 85,761 on June 29. The increase of 1,738 people, or 2%, has contributed to pressure on the prison estate. The Ministry of Justice said released offenders would be monitored under what it called the toughest supervision in British history.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris said overcrowded prisons risked leaving no cells for dangerous criminals and said the government planned to build 14,000 prison places. Victims’ commissioner Claire Waxman said the government’s confidence in the programme was not matched by conditions on the ground. Catherine Atkinson, chair of the Commons justice committee, called the releases a regrettable necessity but said public and victim safety must remain paramount.
She also raised questions about probation, electronic monitoring and the system’s readiness to manage returning offenders.
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