Criminals who have committed new offenses or violated probation terms are being released from prisons early under government directives aimed at reducing overcrowding. Despite ongoing efforts by Labour to release offenders early and move more individuals to open prisons, there are concerns that jails are nearing another capacity crisis. The policy to shorten the time prisoners spend in jail after recall is affecting over 1,000 inmates, with an expected 400 more offenders being released at any given time.

A probation officer has raised alarms about the process, which bypasses Parole Board evaluations. The officer claims this could lead to the release of individuals who are not safely manageable in the community. There are no exceptions for terror offenders or those guilty of sexual offenses or domestic abuse. However, internal guidance states that offenders can still be eligible if they are seen as low risk of serious recidivism, not at high risk of serious harm, and not under investigation for a serious further offense.

Prisoners serving life terms or extended sentences for dangerous offenses are excluded from the scheme. The Ministry of Justice said that a previous version of the policy led to a drop in re-releases, contributing to an increasing number of people held on recall, which reached a record of almost 13,000 by the end of last year in England and Wales. The government is under pressure to address capacity issues, with plans to open a new prison in Yorkshire and expand existing jails.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/16/alarm-over-early-re-release-of-recalled-prisoners-as-jail-overcrowding-crisis-deepens