Early releases to ease prison crowding

The Justice Secretary Lord Falconer has announced some prisoners will be freed early, five weeks after saying there were no plans to do so.

Last month, Lord Falconer said early releases would not be used to ease overcrowding in jails in England and Wales.

But offenders serving less than four years can be freed 18 days before the end of their sentences.

This includes drug dealers, burglars and fraudsters, but excludes those convicted of serious violent or sexual crimes.

Prisons are at bursting point, with more than 80,000 offenders under lock and key, and Gordon Brown has promised extra money for new jail places.

Some 25,500 criminals are expected to be freed under the scheme if it runs for a year, cutting the prison population at any given time by 1,200.

Opposition politicians and prison support workers lambasted the move as a threat to public safety.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis placed the blame squarely on prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown for failing to fund more jail places.

He said: "It is clear from what has been announced today that there will be a continuing reliance on police and court cells, meaning the taxpayer will continue to pay through their pay packets. "The Government's poor record at preventing those released on licence from committing more crimes means they will also continue to pay with their safety."

The British Medical Association described the decision as "deeply worrying", and warned that the supervisory system could be overwhelmed.

Dr Ashok Rayani, a prison doctor and member of the BMA's civil and public services committee, said: "A large number of prisoners currently disappear back into the community after their release with no health or social services support for conditions which can potentially lead to reoffending."

Share this article

Send this article to a friend »

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Reddit
• Facebook
• StumbleUpon

What are these?