Key Highlights
- Nearly 40,000 prisoners have been released early under a government scheme since September 2024.
- The emergency measure was introduced to address prison overcrowding and prevent the collapse of the criminal justice system.
- A significant rise in recalls has been observed due to breaches of license conditions following the early release program.
- Figures show an increase in deaths and assaults within prisons, highlighting potential issues with the scheme’s implementation.
Government Scheme for Early Release Underway
The UK government has implemented a controversial early release scheme to address severe overcrowding in prisons. According to official figures released on June 30, 2025, nearly 40,000 prisoners have been freed under this emergency measure since September 2024. The scheme allows some inmates to serve only 40% of their fixed-term sentences instead of the usual 50%, effectively reducing overcrowding in prisons.
Origins and Implementation
The Labour government introduced the early release scheme last year, responding to an urgent need to alleviate prison pressures. At one point, the male prison estate had only about a hundred spaces remaining. Then Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned: “If we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system and total breakdown of law and order.” The scheme replaced a similar measure from the previous Conservative government.
Impact on Prison Population
The release of 38,042 prisoners under the new scheme reflects a significant shift in how the UK manages its prison population. Of these, 34,322 were British nationals, 3,644 were foreign nationals, and 66 had no nationality recorded. The majority (10,879) served sentences of six months or less, while another 5,241 inmates were serving sentences between six and 12 months.
Age-wise, the greatest proportion of early releases was among 30 to 39-year-olds, followed by those aged 40 to 49 and 25 to 29. This demographic breakdown suggests that a significant portion of younger adults are being impacted by the scheme.
Rising Concerns and Challenges
While the early release program has helped ease overcrowding, it has also led to increased recalls—people who breach their license conditions and are sent back to prison. Between April and June 2025, there were 11,041 recalls, up from 9,782 over the same period in 2024, a rise of almost 23%. The Ministry of Justice attributes this increase to the high number of people being released under the early scheme.
Other worrying trends include the highest number of deaths recorded in prisons since 2020.
In the year ending September 2025, there were 411 deaths, a 30% increase from the previous year’s 317 deaths. Assaults on staff have also reached new peaks, with 121 per 1,000 prisoners in the period to June compared to 118 in the same period last year.
Government Response and Future Plans
The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged these challenges but emphasizes their commitment to public safety. A spokesperson stated: “This government inherited a prison system in crisis, and we have taken decisive action to stop our prisons from collapsing.” They highlight the construction of 14,000 new prison places, with 2,500 opened since July 2024.
Despite these efforts, critics argue that the early release scheme may be exacerbating issues rather than solving them. An independent investigation was launched after a migrant sex offender was mistakenly released from prison due to human error, leading to a 48-hour manhunt.
The chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, noted the strain on inexperienced staff and called for better management of the early release scheme. He stated that the situation had been made more difficult by various schemes implemented in recent years, emphasizing the need for careful planning and execution.
