Police and MI5 Warn: Early Release Threatens Public Safety Without Adequate Funding – Article on Prisons and Probation

Police chiefs and MI5 are urging the government to provide sufficient funding, given the recent plans to release prisoners early. These changes could potentially harm public safety, according to a letter sent by the heads of the Metropolitan police, MI5, and the National Crime Agency to the justice ministry. They have also stressed the need for “necessary resources” in the upcoming spending review to manage the impacts of these plans and maintain order. The chiefs argue that justice and control must not be sacrificed, even as prisoners are released. Additionally, six senior police officers are advocating for a larger workforce and significant investment to address the growing challenges in law enforcement, including rising public demands and new organized crime threats fueled by the online world. These officers warn that the early release of prisoners and proposed sentencing reforms might put additional pressure on the police as they may have to deal with criminals who would have otherwise remained in prison. The upcoming spending review’s policing settlement could determine the ability of forces to maintain their current strength and capabilities. Without adequate investment, they caution that structural inefficiencies could persist for another three years and a critical opportunity to reform the service may be lost. The sentencing review, released last week, aims to address prison overcrowding by suggesting reforms such as early release for good behavior, scrapping short sentences, and increasing community service sentences. The justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has agreed to these suggestions. In response, the Home Office has vowed to increase funding for the police to maintain community safety and announced plans to recruit additional officers. The Ministry of Justice has emphasized their commitment to solving the prison crisis through expansion and reforms that ensure the most dangerous offenders are kept away from the public. They are also planning to increase probation funding significantly by 2028/29 to better monitor offenders in the community.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/28/early-release-puts-public-safety-at-risk-without-funding-say-police-and-mi5-report