Release of thousands of convicts to ease prison crisis

Thousands of convicts freed to ease prison crisis - Independent

Extract:

"Thousands of non-violent inmates will be released early and an extra 1,500 jail spaces will be built in an emergency package of measures to tackle the overcrowding crisis.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Justice Secretary, has been forced to take the drastic action after the prison population rose to a record 81,016 in England and Wales, with further sharp increases predicted over the summer.

He has won reluctant approval for the release plans from Tony Blair and secured more than £200m from Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, to pay for the extra places. Prison reform groups said the moves would only temporarily ease the strain on overcrowded jails, while police protested that the releases would put too much pressure on them.

Lord Falconer told peers he had decided to authorise the release on licence up to 18 days early of prisoners serving sentences of between four weeks and four years. The move is expected to result in between 1,500 and 1,800 inmates being let out early in the first weeks after the scheme comes into effect on 29 June.

Its eventual effect will be to reduce the numbers behind bars by about 1,200, buying the Government breathing space as it races to build extra prisons. Over the course of a year, 25,500 offenders could be affected by the scheme."


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