There are currently around 84,000 men in detention in the UK, with prisons generally at 99% occupancy as of 2023.
The British Labour government announced on Friday the early release of thousands of detainees to ease pressure on prisons “on the verge of collapse”, in one of its first major measures after coming to power about a week ago.
The government has indicated that there is a risk of running out of places in British prisons “within a few weeks”.
There are around 84,000 men currently in custody in the UK, where prisons are generally 99% full as of 2023, according to the Ministry of Justice. On July 8, there were just 700 places available.
“Our prisons are on the verge of collapse,” the new justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, declared as she announced the emergency plan from HMP Five Wells in central England.
Detainees covered by early release under judicial supervision will be able to benefit from this measure in advance when they have completed 40% of their sentence, from September onwards.
“If we do not act now, we risk the collapse of the criminal justice system and public unrest,” Mahmoud added.
The minister added that if the current situation continues, the courts will be forced to postpone sending offenders to prison, which “will put the population at risk in the face of out-of-control crime.”
This approach was shared by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, who said the situation was “at absolute breaking point”.
“Let me be clear: this is an urgent measure. It does not constitute a permanent change. I am convinced that the criminals must be punished,” the minister said.
People sentenced to four years or more in prison, or for sexual offences, are excluded from the new early release requirement.
The measures announced today will come into effect in September, to give prison services enough time to organise these releases.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has blamed previous Conservative governments for the situation.
He accused the outgoing government of “blatant irresponsibility”.
Keir Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, knows justice issues. He was also the Director of the Attorney General for England and Wales, one of the most important positions in the judicial system.
The Justice Minister also announced the recruitment of more than 1,000 social reintegration officers by March 2025 “to better monitor and manage offenders” after their release.
Shabana Mahmoud also pointed to the need for new prisons, with six new facilities currently under construction, with a capacity of 20,000 additional places. The number is expected to reach about 10,000 by the end of 2025.
