Andy Burnham, the Justice Secretary, has announced the immediate pause of a scheme that would have allowed thousands of prisoners in England and Wales to be released early. The decision comes amid concerns about public safety and follows criticism from opposition parties, victims, and their families.
"No prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public," Burnham stated. He emphasized that public safety is his top priority and that his team is working closely with the justice secretary to implement any necessary changes.
The early release policy was introduced by the Labour government in 2024 as an emergency measure to alleviate overcrowding within the prison system. Under the Sentencing Act, which was scheduled to take effect in September, certain offenders would have been eligible for release after serving one-third of their sentence. Previously, those who had served two-thirds of their sentence would now be released after completing half of it.
Burnham has instructed his team to halt the changes planned for September. "Where changes are needed, we will not hesitate to make them," he added, signaling a thorough review of the policy's potential risks and effectiveness.