Key facts
- More people were recalled to jails than released in England and Wales in the first half of this year.
- 12,338 people were recalled to custody between April and June, while 12,278 were released.
- 52,716 prisoners were returned to jail in the year to June for breaching license terms, a 27% increase.
- 79,274 inmates were freed early under emergency measures between September 2024 and June 2026.
- 360 people died in prison in the 12 months to September 2026, with 66 self-inflicted deaths.
- 68,231 incidents of self-harm were recorded in prisons in the 12 months to June 2026.
More people were recalled to jails in England and Wales in the first half of this year than were released, despite government efforts to reduce the prison population, according to figures released on Thursday. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that 12,338 people were recalled to custody between the beginning of April and the end of June, while 12,278 people were released. This continues a trend from the previous quarter, when more prisoners were returned to jail than released. A total of 52,716 prisoners were put back behind bars in the year to June after breaching the terms of their licence – a 27% increase on the previous 12-month total. The high recall rate is a key contributor to the prison capacity crisis and prompted early release schemes. The MoJ figures also show 79,274 inmates were freed early from prison between September 2024 and June 2026 under emergency measures known as the SDS40 early release scheme, which cut the proportion of sentences some prisoners must serve from 50% to 40%. These emergency measures were replaced with a permanent scheme for early releases from October 1 under the Sentencing Act 2026. The Howard League for Penal Reform described the recall rate as "alarmingly high" and contributing to the overcrowding crisis. The MoJ stated that the rise in recalls was likely influenced by policy changes resulting in most offenders being held for 56 days before release, rather than until the end of their sentence. Safety in custody statistics showed 360 people died in prison in the 12 months to September 2026, including 66 self-inflicted deaths, and 68,231 incidents of self-harm were recorded in the 12 months to June 2026. A separate dataset indicated that the number of serious offenders on probation charged with a serious further offence increased for the third successive year.