Key facts
- Hundreds of offenders are being released from prisons in England and Wales on Tuesday.
- Approximately 2,000 offenders are being freed this month, with 3,000 more to follow over the next year.
- Prisoners convicted of manslaughter, including those who killed PC Andrew Harper, are excluded from the releases.
- The prison population in England and Wales was 87,499 on Monday, an increase of 2% in three months.
- Released offenders will be subject to enhanced supervision and electronic monitoring.
- Probation union Napo rejected a 5% pay offer and will hold a formal ballot for strike action on October 19.
The second wave of early prison releases is underway in England and Wales on Tuesday, with hundreds of offenders being freed to ease prison overcrowding. This initiative is part of a government plan to release approximately 5,000 prisoners over the next year, a figure reduced from an initial proposal of 6,000 following an intervention by Andy Burnham.
Offenders convicted of manslaughter, including those involved in the death of PC Andrew Harper in 2019, are excluded from these releases. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) stated that released individuals will be monitored under "the toughest supervision in British history," with new restriction zones for high-risk sexual and violent offenders and a presumption of electronic tagging.
The releases coincide with potential industrial action by probation officers. Members of the probation union, Napo, are set to hold a pre-ballot meeting regarding strike action over pay and workloads. The union rejected a final pay offer of 5% and will conduct a formal ballot on industrial action starting October 19. Napo argues that probation services have been overburdened by the early release of tens of thousands of prisoners since 2022.
Data from the MoJ shows the prison population in England and Wales reached 87,499 on Monday, an increase of over 1,700 prisoners in the past three months, representing a 2% rise. Despite the MoJ's assurances, victims' commissioner Claire Waxman has voiced concerns that the government's confidence in the plan is not yet reflected in the on-the-ground reality.