What next for the 1,700 prisoners freed today, where will they go and why are they being released early? Everything you need to know about Labour’s controversial plan to put criminals back on the streets _ Hieuuk
Thousands of prisoners are being released early in England and Wales today as the prisons watchdog warned it was ‘inevitable’ some will reoffend.
Around 1,700 prisoners are expected to be let out today before their sentences are served in a bid to cut overcrowding – on top of the 1,000 normally freed each week.
Downing Street said the policy had to be brought in to avoid the police and courts becoming unable to lock anyone up because there were no places available.
But chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor warned some of those released would be homeless which could increase their chances of reoffending.
Here, MailOnline looks at the key questions around the early release scheme:
HM Prison Liverpool is pictured today amid the plan to let out inmates to ease overcrowding
What is happening today?
The Government is freeing around 1,700 prisoners from jails across England and Wales today in a bid to cut overcrowding.
This is in addition to around 1,000 prisoners who are typically freed each week.
Why are they being released early?
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans in July to temporarily cut the proportion of sentences inmates must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent.
This came after the Ministry of Justice said overcrowding had pushed jails to the ‘point of collapse’.
Downing Street said the policy had to be brought in to avoid ‘unchecked criminality’ where the police and courts are unable to lock anyone up.
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said that the Government ‘had no choice but to do something’ about overcrowding because ‘the bath was in danger of overflowing, and they either had to turn the taps off or they had to let some water out’.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, pictured arriving at Downing Street yesterday
What types of criminals could be freed?
The Government said the policy will not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences.
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But campaigners and charities warned that the scheme may come at the expense of women and children’s safety, while others raised concerns that it would push probation services to breaking point.
Last month it emerged rioters were among those who could end up spending less time behind bars as the Government confirmed those involved in recent unrest would not be excluded from the early release plans.
This is despite Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly insisting perpetrators of the violence would feel the ‘full force of the law’.
While there is no specific exclusion for rioters, those convicted of serious violence and serve sentences of four years and over, or a terrorism offence, will be excluded, officials said.
HM Prison Thameside in South East London is pictured today amid the early release scheme
Do prisoners get any support when they leave jail?
As inmates near the end of their time behind bars, they are meant to be given help to prepare for life outside prison which includes advice on finding somewhere to live, getting a job and looking after money. They are meant to be offered extra support if they have drug or alcohol addictions, are sex workers or victims of domestic violence.
Prisoners are given a release grant as they leave which is intended to help them pay for essentials and transport. But at less than £100, many charities consider this sum insufficient.
Depending on their circumstances, they may also be offered other benefits and state financial support.
The terms of their licence may specify where they can and cannot live. It will also set out how regularly they need to check in with probation supervisors or support workers.
Some will be required to live in bail hostels and other approved community accommodation first, or in the absence of secure, approved private residences if they do not have a home to go to.
Charities and watchdogs have warned how some released prisoners often end up homeless and this can increase the risk of them reoffending.
The Justice Secretary said homeless prisoners released early could temporarily be put up in budget hotels at the tax payers’ expense.
What happens if these inmates go on to re-offend?
If prisoners breach their licence conditions – a set of rules which they must adhere too once out of jail typically including restrictions on their movements and who they speak to – they could find themselves back behind bars. This is called being recalled to custody.
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Depending on the breach, if they have committed another crime, they could be investigated by the police and prosecuted so could end up back in court, facing more time behind bars.
Anyone recalled to prison has to be considered for release by the Parole Board before they can be freed again.
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said warned some of those released would be homeless which could increase their chances of reoffending.
Mr Taylor said: ‘It’s inevitable that some of these prisoners will get recalled to custody and it’s inevitable that some of them will go out homeless.
‘If people are coming out, they’re not properly prepared, and they’re homeless, then what we’ll see is the danger that they’ll commit more offences, or that they breach their bail conditions, in which case they’ll end up back inside again.’
Will this solve the problems with overcrowding?
The plan will only ease capacity problems in the short term.
Prison figures have warned the move will only buy time for about a year before the same issue could be faced again so there are calls for longer term strategies to address the number of people being held behind bars.
This could include reforming sentencing rules so some criminals avoid jail altogether, particularly for crimes considered low level or not as severe and those which may attract shorter prison terms.
What is the current prisons population?
The prison population reached a new record high of 88,521 people last Friday and has risen by more than 1,000 people over the past four weeks.
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor’s new annual report said the number of prisoners is projected to grow by about 27,000 by 2028, meaning it is unlikely to be possible to build enough new accommodation.
His report also detailed the ‘desperate’ crisis in violence and drug use behind bars, as well as the lack of available rehabilitation that would keep people from reoffending.
What do charities think about the scheme?
Charities said the early release scheme will only ‘buy a little time’ and would not provide a lasting solution in the face of ‘brutalising conditions’
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Andrea Coomber KC, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform (HLPR), said prisons and probation needed to be completely reset after she described the ‘woeful education and training’ for inmates and ‘squalor, self-harm, drugs, violence and unmet mental health needs, all in the midst of severe overcrowding’.
Meanwhile, the Prison Reform Trust (PRT) said prisoners are being ‘warehoused’ and need to be spending time in education, training and work rather than ‘sharing an overcrowded cell for 23 hours a day’.
Pia Sinha, chief executive of the charity, said: ‘We cannot continue to warehouse people in these conditions and expect that things will be better when they’re released.’
Have victims been told about the scheme?
Some victims have been left unaware of the early release of the person responsible for committing a crime against them, it was revealed yesterday.
Victims’ Commissioner Baroness Newlove branded this ‘regrettable’ and said she had called for assurances this would not happen.
She said the early releases are ‘distressing for many victims who rightfully expect offenders will serve the sentence handed down by the court’.
When will the next prisoners be released?
Around 1,700 more prisoners are expected to be freed on October 22.
Again, this will be on top of the 1,000 prisoners who are freed on average each week.
