Around 1,700 prisoners are set to be released early on Tuesday as part of the Government’s plans to tackle overcrowding in prisons, a Home Office minister has said.
Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, told the BBC: ‘For those who will be released tomorrow, probation officers have been working very hard to make sure that there are plans in place.
‘People are released on licence and can be recalled if they commit further offences.
‘So there’s a whole range of things that are already in place to make sure tomorrow goes as well as we can expect, but clearly nobody wants to be doing this.’
Asked how many prisoners were due to be released on Tuesday, she said: ‘I understand it’s in the region of about 1,700.’
The government has confirmed violent criminals, terrorists and domestic abusers will not be released as part of the scheme.
But the move has nevertheless sparked concern among victims of domestic violence, who fear abusers convicted of unrelated crimes will not be flagged as domestic abusers and be released under the scheme.
Dame Johnson said the government is working to ensure this does not happen, and told Sky News ‘There’s been a real trawl through to try and identify where their primary offence isn’t domestic abuse, we know there’s a history, and that’s where the steps have been put in to protect as best we can.
‘Because we know, unfortunately, domestic abuse is so prevalent amongst the offending community.’
Keir Starmer has blamed overcrowding issues on the previous Conservative government’s decision to not build any new prisons, and says he has been ‘forced into’ releasing prisoners early.
The prisoners will serve the rest of their sentences under the ‘strictest licensing conditions’ and will be tagged, the government has said.
But there are serious concerns that many of those freed will reoffend shortly after release due to a lack of housing or rehabilitation programs.
Shopkeepers in Bailgate, Lincoln are terrified of being targeted by shoplifters released early from prison, who they believe will target their stores for some quick cash.
Emma Steele, who runs a store in the town centre, told the BBC she felt ‘violated’ after being recently targeted by shoplifters who were jailed after stealing around £200 of stock.
The perpetrator was given a four-week suspended prison sentence at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to theft, and Ms Steele is concerned the lack of consequences means she may be targeted by him again.
‘Are we going to have to be even more diligent? Is it a free for all?’ she told the broadcaster.
Many prisoners are expected to sleep rough on their first night out of prison, with little care given to ensure those released are able to integrate back into society.
Elton Gilbert, 29, was released early from HMP Pentonville and said he was given no time to prepare for life on the outside.
‘No one told me anything. They just opened the door and said, “you’re getting released today,” he told the Times.
‘I’ve got a bit of change in my pocket. I’m standing there with my see-through bag with all my kit in it,’ he added. ‘That first day of release can be extremely overwhelming for some people.’
With around 5,500 prisoners set to be released early over the next two months, services to support people to resettle into the community will be stretched thin.
And with probation officers facing unmanageable caseloads, many former offenders fear being recalled back to jail due to their officer making a mistake under pressure.
Roughly one in seven prisoners sleep rough the night that they leave jail, amounting to about 800 prisoners a month going from prison to being homeless.
Former prisoners also require photo ID and access to banking in order to apply for work, housing, and access benefits upon release, which an early release makes it difficult to plan for.
But Nick Emmerson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, has praised the move, and said: ‘The early release scheme is a pragmatic response to the chronic lack of jail spaces.
‘While not an ideal step to take, in view of the perilous state of our prisons, it enables more time and space for longer-term solutions to the many problems bedevilling our criminal justice system.
‘It will be important to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so that any risks to the public are minimised.
‘Rebuilding the criminal justice system after decades of neglect will take years of hard work, investment and sensible reform.
‘With this stabilising step, the vital rebuilding work can begin and efforts made to stem the exodus of essential professionals. The recent swift arrests and prosecutions following the riots showed the justice system to be an essential part of our society and those who work in it should be properly valued.’
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘The new government inherited a justice system in crisis and has been forced into taking difficult but necessary action to ensure we can keep locking up dangerous criminals and protect the public.
‘Anyone released into Home Detention Curfew is risk-assessed, faces the strictest licensing conditions and must be tagged.’
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