Britain will release 5,000 prisoners starting in October to ease prison overcrowding, drawing threats of legal action from police organisations.
Data from August 3 examined by BBC Verify showed Britain had 86,495 prisoners and fewer than 2,400 available spaces, pushing occupancy in England and Wales to 97 percent.
The Ministry of Justice previously warned the prison population could exceed capacity before November without immediate measures.
Revised decongestion plan
The Labour government under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer passed the Sentencing Act 2026 in January to reduce the prison population. Starmer announced 6,000 criminals would be released starting in September.
Following public and political backlash, Prime Minister Andy Burnham suspended and reviewed the plan in July.
On Monday, the government announced a revised programme that excludes prisoners convicted of rape, serious sexual abuse and child seduction from early release.
However, the revisions do not exclude two of the three people involved in the murder of police officer Andrew Harper seven years ago. The Telegraph reported the two are expected to be released.
The victim's mother called the decision an insult.
The Police Federation of Britain threatened legal action against the Ministry of Justice over the releases. Thames Valley police are also considering legal action against the government.
Longer sentences
According to the Institute for Government think tank, longer sentences have contributed to the overcrowding.
Robbery sentences in 2023 averaged 13 months longer than in 2012, while sentences for serious offences were 25 percent longer than in 2012.
England and Wales imprison more people proportionally than any other Western European country, trailing only Poland.
Slow prison construction is also a factor. Under the Conservative government between 2010 and 2024, 13,000 new prison spaces were created. However, 12,500 spaces in Victorian era facilities were closed, resulting in a net increase of 500 spaces.
Meanwhile, the Reform UK party pledged to imprison employers who hire illegal immigrants.
Separately, a woman stabbed and injured four men yesterday in central London's Covent Garden. The Metropolitan Police said the men are out of danger and the incident is linked to mental health issues.
