Prisons in England and Wales are operating at 97% capacity, with male prison spaces reaching the lowest point of the year. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to address this by converting existing unused spaces within prisons into cells, a move that will be funded by an £110 million investment from existing budgets. The MoJ stated that laundry rooms and storage areas are among the spaces that could be repurposed.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris indicated that the early-release scheme, set to begin in October, will see approximately 4,500 prisoners released in stages. Norris emphasized that early release does not equate to complete freedom, stating that victims will have a say in the restrictions imposed on released individuals. He estimated that freeing up existing space could create between 200 and 900 additional prison spaces.
The government also plans to increase the number of foreign national prisoners being deported. In the year to June, 5,962 foreign offenders were deported, the highest rate since 2017 and a 12% increase from the previous year. As of June 30, there were 10,134 foreign nationals in custody, though 3,283 of these were on remand and therefore ineligible for deportation.
Additionally, some inmates serving indefinite sentences may be released. The Prime Minister recently confirmed that individuals convicted of manslaughter will be excluded from the early release scheme, following a campaign by the family of PC Andrew Harper, who was killed in 2019. Two men were convicted over his death.
Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, expressed concerns about staffing levels, questioning where the necessary personnel would come from to supervise any newly created or utilized spaces. "You can create as much additional space as you like, and build as many new prisons as you like, but where are the staff coming from to supervise people? Nobody wants to be a prison officer anymore," Fairhurst stated.