Prisoners who have served 40% of their sentence will be released to help alleviate overcrowding, Sir Keir Starmer’s government has announced.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has warned that failing to act now risks “the collapse of the criminal justice system and a total breakdown of law and order”, including looting and rioting in the streets.
The reduction in time served, set to be introduced in England and Wales in September, will not apply to those who have committed serious violent offences with sentences of four years or more.
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today’s visit by the Justice secretary to Bedford prison might look controlled and it might look calm but the situation in our prisons is anything but how are you finding things here tell me um yes it is um it’s very challenging they are overcrowded and Under Pressure a new government with old problems our prisons are on the point of collapse so today a new announcement that come September thousands of prisoners can leave jail earlier than they would have otherwise with exclusions for the most serious and violent offenders those serving eligible standard determinate sentences will leave prison after serving 40% rather than 50% in custody I do not take this decision lightly the last government had been running another early release scheme with offenders able to leave prison up to 70 days early criticized for being last minute and chaotic with pressures on probation in September that will stop with the ruction of today’s new plans instead you’ve admitted today’s announcement is yet another emergency measure how long is it going to take to fix this prison crisis before meaningful reform is possible and are you confident the public will be kept safe while we wait for this measure in September if we steep back did nothing just waited maybe H for the best we would face the breakdown of Law and Order in our country and I am aware that every option at this point presents some risk but the risk of the breakdown of Law and Order I think is much worse these measures have so far been cautiously welcomed by the prison and probation service but ultimately the early release of prisoners creates additional workloads for a system that’s already stretched and reformers say what’s needed is a total shakeup at this charity in South London they’re trying just that training ex offenders in tapestry rehabilitating by reskilling to try and stop reoffending in prison now every year I was in and out of prison I’ll tell you the truth and this is the longest I’ve ever been out it just gives me something a purpose the sort of change we need is not shortterm it’s longterm there are an awful lot of people in prison who have accepted that they’ve made mistakes and they want the help to break the cycle today came a strong signal that this government know they need to Stitch the criminal justice system back together but they know too these announcements alone are unlikely to do that not a silver bullet butter sticking plaster Molly Malone Sky News