Prison governors estimate 1,000 criminals released early

About 1,000 criminals have been freed from jail early to tackle the overcrowding crisis, prison sources have said.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has so far refused to reveal the numbers that have been released early under a scheme launched six months ago amid fears that prisons were running out of space.

Ministers confirmed this week that prisoners’ early release would, from May 23, be extended to 70 days before their scheduled release date, after initially starting last October on just 18 days before, increasing to 60 days in March.

The scheme, known as end of custody supervised licence, was last used 17 years ago when the then-Labour government faced a similar crisis and was forced to release thousands of prisoners early over three years.

The 1,000 total so far is based on estimates by governors at around 20 overcrowded prisons where the scheme has been targeted.

The Government has said it will publish the official data “later this year” but has not yet set a date, raising suspicions that it could be delayed until after the general election.

Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors’ Association (PGA), said the Government should publish the numbers.

“It is in the public interest to know the extent to which this policy is being used and the number of people that are affected by it,” he said.

‘Government releasing prisoners but not the facts’

Shabana Mahmood, the shadow justice secretary, accused the Government of hiding the figures.

“The Government is releasing prisoners but not the facts. The strategy is clear for all to see. Say nothing, try to get away with it and try to get to the other side of the election,” she said.

Edward Argar, a justice minister, denied the Government was extending the scheme without proper consultation. “I think [Ms Mahmood] suggesting ‘sneaking it out’, in October and March, which included statements to this House was entirely transparent,” he said.

Sex offenders, convicted terrorists, category A prisoners and all violent offenders serving four or more years are excluded from the early release scheme.

However, violent offenders serving under four years are eligible, as are burglars, thieves, shoplifters and fraudsters serving any length of fixed-term sentence.

The early release scheme is the main safety valve for overcrowding, although a scheme due to start next month, revealed this week by The Telegraph, could be just as important.

This will allow up to 4,000 offenders recalled to prison for breaching their licence to be released early.

Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, is to change the law so that criminals sentenced to less than 12 months who are released but then sent back to prison for breaking their conditions will receive “fixed-term recalls”, meaning they spend just 14 days back in jail before being let out again.

At present they can be given “standard recalls”, which means they remain in prison until deemed safe to release by the Parole Board.

This often means they stay in custody until the end of their licence period.

Legislation currently before Parliament will go further by creating a presumption that offenders facing sentences of less than a year should receive suspended sentences rather than being jailed. However, this is unlikely to take effect until the summer.