Lord Chancellor sets out immediate action to defuse ticking prison ‘time-bomb’

Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood announced immediate measures to address the critical situation in UK prisons, warning of the potential collapse of the criminal justice system if no action is taken. Speaking at HMP Five Wells, The Lord Chancellor outlined a multi-faceted plan aimed at preventing prison overcrowding and ensuring public safety.

Key Actions to Address the Crisis

1. Ending the End of Custody Supervised Licence Scheme:

   • This scheme, launched in October 2023 to alleviate prison capacity pressures by releasing prisoners 18 days early, has been deemed dysfunctional and unmanageable. It has now ended after facilitating the early release of over 10,000 offenders.

2. Reducing Sentence Proportion Served:

   • Temporarily, the proportion of certain custodial sentences served in prison will be reduced from 50% to 40%. This excludes serious violent and sex offenders, as well as those convicted of domestic abuse-related crimes such as stalking, coercive behavior, and non-fatal strangulation.
   • Offenders released early will be strictly monitored by the Probation Service, including measures like electronic tagging and curfews.

3. Enhancing Probation Services:

   • Plans are in place to recruit over 1,000 additional trainee probation officers by March 2025 to better manage and oversee offenders upon their release.

Addressing Immediate and Long-Term Needs

The Lord Chancellor emphasised that the emergency measures, set to take effect in September, are temporary and not a permanent policy shift. These steps are necessary to avert the immediate crisis, allowing time for longer-term solutions to be implemented. The government is committed to transparency, with detailed publications on releases and an annual statement on prison capacity to ensure accountability.

Long-Term Strategies

To address the crisis sustainably, the government plans to:

• Expedite the prison building program by reforming the planning system.
• Develop a 10-year capacity strategy, to be published in the autumn in line with the Spending Review.
• Focus on reducing reoffending rates to create a sustainable solution to the prison capacity issue.

Stakeholder Support and Impact

The National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, expressed support for the government's swift action on this pressing issue. The Ministry of Justice, along with other criminal justice system partners, will work to manage the impact of these changes, particularly supporting victims and families.

The Lord Chancellor concluded by reiterating her commitment to tackling the prison crisis and ensuring the criminal justice system's integrity. She acknowledged the significant challenges but stressed that these measures are essential to prevent a total breakdown of law and order.