Britain’s new justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, is preparing to unveil emergency measures on Friday to address prison overcrowding, which may involve the early release of numerous inmates. Following Labour’s recent election win, Mahmood is expected to highlight the urgency of the overcrowding issue and propose immediate actions to prevent a potential breakdown in the justice system. One potential solution could involve reducing the mandatory time served by prisoners before their automatic release.
Authorities aim to maintain around 1,425 vacant prison spaces for men to accommodate sudden increases in inmate numbers. However, reports suggest that only 700 spaces are currently available, indicating a pressing need for intervention. Mark Rowley, the head of London’s police force, commented that the expected early release of prisoners is considered the most viable option under the circumstances.
Rowley emphasized the critical situation in prisons, stating that they are consistently nearing maximum capacity, which poses a significant risk in terms of public safety. He stressed that a complete blockage of the system due to overcrowding would have severe repercussions on the judicial process and public security. The imminent plans to address overcrowding and potentially release inmates early are viewed as essential measures to avert a crisis within the prison system.
