An official review urges the British government to adopt a U.S. model allowing prisoners to earn early release for good behavior to combat overcrowding, highlighting the urgent need for reform as capacity demands surge.
U.K. Considers Early Release Policies to Alleviate Prison Overcrowding
U.K. Considers Early Release Policies to Alleviate Prison Overcrowding
A report calls for a shift toward good behavior-driven early release, inspired by practices in Texas, amid Britain's prison capacity crisis.
In light of significant prison overcrowding, a new report has suggested that the United Kingdom adopt an early release policy for inmates, mirroring successful practices in the United States, particularly in Texas. The independent review was commissioned by the Labour government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Released on Thursday, it proposes allowing most prisoners to complete only a third of their sentences, provided they demonstrate good behavior. This recommendation comes as the Ministry of Justice foresees the need for over 100,000 prison spots in England and Wales by March 2029, while current operational capacity struggles to reach 85,000.
David Gauke, a former Conservative justice secretary, was tasked with devising a strategy to address the imminent crisis. As a temporary measure to counteract overcrowding, over 16,000 inmates were released early last year during a government initiative. However, Gauke cautioned that plans for constructing additional prisons are insufficient to meet demand.
He criticized the previous Conservative administration's tough-on-crime stance, which led to longer sentences for various offenses and increased incarceration rates. Gauke's review emphasized the urgent need for reform as existing demand for prison accommodations "dangerously close" exceeds supply, necessitating immediate and significant policy changes.
