The newly-appointed UK Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, announced on Friday that the Labour government plans to address the ongoing issue of prison overcrowding by temporarily releasing prisoners and placing them under community supervision. This initiative will involve reducing the proportion of certain custodial sentences to be served within prison walls by 10 per cent. A speech detailing these measures outlined that the release will begin in September, with provisions in place to safeguard public security, including an increase in probation officers.
The Labour government’s plan extends the existing End of Custody Supervised Licence Scheme, which previously excluded the early release of those convicted of sexual, terrorist, and serious violence offenses. Under the new plan, sentences of four years or more for serious violent offenses, as well as those involving sex and domestic abuse, will also be automatically excluded. The scheme was initially created in response to the acute prison overpopulation crisis and has since seen adjustments, including the early release period increasing from 35 to 70 days, as per government statistics.
Interestingly, Mahmood’s plan also includes the recruitment of over 1,000 probation officers by March 2025 and the development of a 10-year capacity strategy. Anyone released under this initiative will be monitored by probation officers and could face a return to prison if they breach their license conditions.
In her address, Mahmood emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The last Government left us with a timebomb, ticking away. If we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system and a total breakdown of law and order.” The crisis has pushed prisons to operate at over 99% capacity since early 2023, with the Ministry of Justice reporting a current population of 87,505 against a maximum capacity of 88,956. Detailed figures can be accessed in the Ministry’s latest report.
Similar steps to manage prison populations have been observed in other parts of the UK. For instance, Scottish lawmakers recently voted to approve the early release of prisoners sentenced to less than four years, excluding those convicted of sexual or domestic abuse offenses. More on this development can be found in this report.
The post UK Labour government announces plan to tackle prison overcrowding was first reported on JURIST – News. For the full report, visit JURIST.