In response to severe overcrowding, the UK’s new justice minister, Shabana Mahmood, has announced that thousands of prisoners will be released early starting in September. This measure aims to prevent the potential collapse of the prison system, which has been operating at near-full capacity since 2023. Mahmood emphasized the urgency of the situation, warning that failure to act could lead to a total breakdown of law and order, with only 700 spaces remaining in men’s prisons.
England and Wales currently have the highest prison population per capita in Western Europe. To alleviate the strain, the planned early releases will not apply to violent offenders serving more than four years, sex offenders, domestic abuse offenders, or those serving life sentences.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor highlighted the critical need for action, describing the system as being at a “breaking point.” Mahmood, who assumed office following Labour’s recent general election victory, described a grim scenario where a lack of prison space could result in “van-loads of dangerous people circling the country with nowhere to go,” leading to unchecked criminal activity and social unrest.
The government’s plan involves reducing the proportion of a sentence that prisoners must serve from 50% to 40%, allowing for earlier automatic release. This initiative will start in September, giving the Prison and Probation Service time to organize the logistics.
As of Friday, official figures showed the total prison population at over 87,505, with more than 83,800 men, leaving just 1,451 available spaces. Since early 2023, men’s prisons have consistently operated at over 99% capacity. The Ministry of Justice notes that a buffer of approximately 1,425 cell spaces is necessary to handle sudden increases in inmate numbers.
To further address overcrowding, six new prisons are under construction, which will add an additional 20,000 spaces. The Prison Governors’ Association (PGA) has
