The number of new offenses committed by individuals released early from prison has surged to a record high, according to official figures released in the wake of Labour's early release policies. Data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) indicates that 46,459 new crimes were recorded by prisoners freed between October and December 2024. This period followed the implementation of Labour's initial early release scheme, known as SDS40, in September of that year.
The figure represents a significant increase from approximately 34,900 offenses in the same period a year prior, averaging 7.55 new crimes per freed inmate. Broadly, offenders released from jail or serving community sentences during that three-month span committed over 138,400 fresh crimes, an average of 5.29 offenses per criminal, marking the highest recorded average. The overall reoffending rate climbed to 30.1 percent, an increase of 1.8 percentage points compared to the previous year.
Separate MoJ data reveals that Labour has facilitated the early release of more than 79,000 individuals up to the end of June 2026. The SDS40 scheme, which permitted early release after serving 40 percent of a court-imposed sentence, has since been superseded by a program offering even more substantial sentence discounts. The current scheme allows convicts to be released after serving just 33 percent of their sentence and has expanded eligibility to include some serious violent offenders.
A prisoner leaving HMP Liverpool in September 2024 - the cohort now shown in official figures to have committed a record number of new crimes
Labour's early release scheme led to scenes of celebration outside jails when it was launched in September 2024, and more than 79,000 inmates have now been freed under the scheme
Reports indicate that the new scheme is expected to release up to 50,000 prisoners annually. However, unlike SDS40, the MoJ will not be releasing specific figures for how many individuals benefit from this new program. Instead, these numbers will be integrated into existing statistics, making them difficult to isolate and potentially obscuring the full scope of the early release initiative. This lack of transparency has led to accusations of a cover-up, leaving the public and lawmakers with incomplete information regarding Prime Minister Andy Burnham's justice policies.
On October 1, approximately 700 individuals were released from prisons across England and Wales under the new scheme, initially covering those with sentences up to 19 months. Daily releases have continued, with the scheme progressively expanding to include offenders serving sentences up to 29 months, and further extensions planned for those serving up to 39 months by November 10. The final expansion, scheduled for early June, will make individuals with sentences of 12 years or more eligible.
Shortly after the new scheme's debut, a senior Metropolitan Police officer highlighted the rapid reoffending of an individual released under the program. Michael Bogle, 38, admitted to 11 shoplifting offenses and was subsequently re-jailed. Bogle, a registered sex offender, had been photographed leaving HMP Wandsworth on the first day of the release scheme and commented, "Keep the early release going. It's good."
In response to these developments, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has announced plans to construct 50,000 new prison places should her party win the next general election, aiming to increase the prison estate by over 50 percent.