Around 1,100 inmates are expected to be let out early today in an attempt to ease overcrowding in prisons (Picture: PA Wire)
The Government has started to release an additional 1,100 prisoners early as part of a plan to ease overcrowding in prisons.
Prisoners from HMP Brixton are the first to be released today, with more expected from Wandsworth, Pentonville and more across the country.
Although people convicted of murder, sex crimes or terrorism will not be eligible for release, those serving a sentence of more than five years will be able to qualify for the scheme, which seeks to free up an additional 5,500 prison places in England and Wales.
Under the scheme, prisoners can now be released if they have completed 40% of their sentence, down from 50% which was previously the case.
At the time of the first set of releases in September, when 1,700 offenders were released early, Britain’s prisons were almost at capacity, with a source telling the BBC there were only 80 vacant spaces at one point during the summer.
The government seeks to release around 5,500 prisoners to ease overcrowding (Picture: PA)
The initiative comes ahead of a major sentencing review chaired by former justice secretary David Gauke, which aims to explore tougher punishments outside of prison while making sure there is space to incarcerate the most dangerous offenders.
It will consider using technology to place criminals in a ‘prison outside prison’ and forcing offenders to do work in the community to give back to society.
The Government is looking to foreign jurisdictions for ideas about how this could work, such as in Texas, where authorities have used good behaviour credits.
Punishments outside of prison could involve using ‘nudge’ technology, sobriety tags or home detention curfews.
Nudge watches or apps could be used to encourage compliance with conditions imposed on offenders.
‘We have an opportunity now to reshape and redesign what punishment outside of a prison looks like,’ said justice secretary Shabana Mahmood.
A senior prison service source said: ‘We are particularly interested in nudge technology, like a wristwatch that says: “Have you got in touch with your probation officer? Have you turned up at your mental health treatment appointment?” They’re not things that restrict your liberty, but they are very helpful in terms of behaviour compliance and nudge compliance.’
A prisoner released in September (Picture: w8media)
Community alternatives and fines instead of prison time will be examined, as will the impact of short custodial sentences.
The review will also consider whether more can be done to tackle prolific offending and crimes committed against women and girls by drawing sentences that reflect the severity of the act.
Ms Mahmood said: ‘We want the review to consider the broader framework when it comes to sentencing, particularly because in order to meet our commitment on halving the levels of violence against women and girls.
‘Obviously, sentencing time in prison has a role to play, but prevention has a big role to play as well.
‘I would fully be expecting them to be looking at …read more
Source:: Metro
