Great Britain Full prisons: British release around 1100 prisoners again

British prisons have reached breaking point and are once again releasing prisoners. Around 1100 prisoners are to be released slightly earlier than planned, according to the British news agency PA.

Around 1700 prisoners had already been released early in England and Wales in September. The next step in an emergency plan is now taking effect.

Prisons have been working to the limit for a long time. Justice Minister Shabana Mahmood warned in July that prisons were on the verge of collapse. If no action is taken now, there is a risk of law and order collapsing.

The new government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer had blamed the previous Conservative government for the shortage of prison places and the dilapidated state of a number of prisons. The prisons also came under pressure due to the far-right riots in the summer. Courts are cracking down on rioters and in some cases imposing prison sentences of several years.

Investigation to review penal system

To create space, some prisoners can now be released after serving only 40 percent of their sentence. Normally, at least 50 percent must be served before a prisoner is released on conditional release. However, those serving time for terrorism or sexual offenses, for example, are not released any earlier.

The government also wants to review which alternatives to imprisonment could be used more - such as technology, community service or fines. "Clearly our prisons are not working," said former minister David Gauke, who is to lead the investigation. "The prison population is increasing by around 4,500 every year and almost 90 percent of those sentenced to prison are repeat offenders." According to PA, one idea could be wristwatches that remind people that they have an appointment with their probation officer or therapy.

SDA