Key facts
- Probation staff have voted overwhelmingly to strike.
- The strike vote by Napo members could complicate plans for early prisoner release.
- Plans aim to free up prison spaces by releasing approximately 5,000 individuals early.
- The early release scheme has faced criticism for potentially freeing individuals convicted of manslaughter, including those involved in PC Andrew Harper's death.
- Justice Secretary Alex Norris is tasked with finding more prison spaces to exclude serious offenders.
- The union warned that the probation service is ill-equipped to handle the increased workload associated with early releases.
Probation staff have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike, a move that could significantly complicate plans by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, to modify an early release scheme for prisoners. The union, Napo, has previously criticized the proposals as rushed and warned that the probation service is ill-equipped to handle the additional workload required for managing more offenders in the community.
The strike vote comes as the government grapples with public and political pressure to prevent the early release of serious offenders, particularly those convicted of manslaughter, such as Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were involved in the killing of PC Andrew Harper in 2019. Burnham announced on Tuesday that he had instructed Justice Secretary Alex Norris to find more prison spaces to ensure these individuals, and others like them, are not freed early.
Burnham suggested that prison places could be increased by expediting the removal of foreign offenders, releasing lower-risk prisoners serving indeterminate sentences, and utilizing the entire prison estate, including the female estate for male offenders. However, Downing Street had previously stated that exempting specific prisoners from the scheme was not feasible.
The early release changes are part of the Sentencing Act, which aims to alleviate overcrowding in prisons across England and Wales by releasing approximately 5,000 individuals early. While exemptions were made for those convicted of rape and serious child abuse offenses, the exclusion of manslaughter convictions prompted widespread outcry.
Napo's national chair, Ben Cockburn, stated that the overwhelming strike vote serves as a warning that professionals cannot adequately protect the public when understaffed. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson expressed disappointment with the outcome and committed to continued engagement with Napo and other trade unions.