Inmates to be freed early amid warning prisons ‘on point of collapse’

Labour has unveiled plans to address the crisis in prison capacity amid warnings that the nation’s prisons are on “the point of collapse”.

In a speech at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said prisoners who have served 40% of their sentence will be released to stop overcrowding from September.

It is understood that more than 5,000 prisoners could be released under the scheme in the first few months.

Mahmood said: “When prisons are full, violence rises – putting prison officers on the front line at risk. When no cells are available, suspects cannot be held in custody. This means vanloads of dangerous people circling the country, with nowhere to go.

“The police would have to use their cells as a prison overflow, keeping officers off the streets. Soon, the courts would grind to a halt, unable to hold trials.

“With officers unable to act, criminals could do whatever they want, without consequence. We could see looters running amok, smashing in windows, robbing shops and setting neighbourhoods alight.

“In short, if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order.”

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Only hundreds of places are left in the adult male estate, with prisons routinely operating at over 99% capacity since the start of 2023. Without action now, the government claims prison cells would have run out “within weeks”.

Under the scheme, the government will temporarily reduce the proportion of certain custodial sentences from 50% to 40%, with important safeguards and exemptions to keep the public safe and clear release plans to manage them safely in the community.

Sentences for serious violent offences of four years or more, as well as sex offences, will be automatically excluded. Early release of offenders in prison for domestic abuse connected crimes will also be excluded, including stalking offences, controlling or coercive behaviours, non-fatal strangulation and suffocation, breach of restraining order, non-molestation order and domestic abuse protection order.

Mahmood said the government had no choice but to take this action and said it was the “one way to avert disaster”.

She said: “I do not choose to do this because I want to but we are taking every protection that is available to us. Let me be clear, this is an emergency measure. This is not a permanent change. I am unapologetic in my belief that criminals must be punished.”

Mahmood also said that former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refused to take responsibility when the scale of the prisons crisis was presented to him.

She said: “Time and again, they ducked the difficult decisions that could have addressed this challenge. Instead, they kept the public in the dark about the state they had left this country in. They were too weak to heed the warning signs that were flashing. They chose instead to put the country at risk.

“Those responsible – Sunak and his gang in No 10 – should go down in history as the guilty men. The guilty men who put their political careers ahead of the safety and security of our country. It was the most disgraceful dereliction of duty I have ever known.”

National Police Chief’s Council chairman Chief Constable Gavin Stephen welcomed the move and said: “It is pleasing to see the new Government has taken action on this pressing issue so quickly.

“We are supporting the Ministry of Justice and other partners in the criminal justice system to manage the impact of these changes, particularly around supporting victims, families and others who will be affected.”

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