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ITV News Political Reporter Jasmine Cameron-Chileshie explains how the latest early release scheme will work and why some people are sceptical of protections in place. Meanwhile criminal barrister Maryam Syed KC breaks down the figures on pressure on the prison system and court backlogs<\/p>\n
Prisoners freed under the first wave of the new early release scheme have thanked Prime Minister Andy Burnham \u2013 while others have expressed concerns over how they will cope on the outside. <\/p>\n
Around 700 prisoners across England and Wales are expected to walk free on Thursday under the controversially expanded programme to free up spaces in prisons.<\/p>\n
Holding his belongings in a bin bag as he left HMP Durham in North East England, one prisoner told the press: \u201cJustice system, what justice system? Thank-you Andy Burnham.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another prisoner gave a thumbs-up to cameras as he walked away.<\/p>\n
A man leaving HMP Cardiff, who was asked if he had a message for the prime minister said: \u201cThank-you very much and don\u2019t get me back here again, bro.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tim Edwards, whose 26-year-old daughter Elle Edwards was shot dead outside a pub on the Wirral, said changes to the prison system are ‘like a kick in the teeth’ <\/p>\n
Some of those released early will have served just a third of their sentence, for crimes including domestic abuse and some sex offences. <\/p>\n
However, rape, “serious” child sex and grooming offences and any form of unlawful killing, have been excluded from the scheme. <\/p>\n
The Conservative Party said the government is putting the public at risk as it prepares to release hundreds of prisoners on Thursday with shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy saying the public would \u201cpay the price\u201d.<\/p>\n
Timothy, a former adviser to Theresa May during her time as prime minister said the policy was an \u201cinsult to victims\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, ministers have said the early release scheme is necessary to create capacity in England and Wales’ overcrowded jails. <\/p>\n
One man released from HMP Wandsworth early, who said he was released two months into a six-month sentence for a \u201cminor\u201d conviction said he was \u201cvery\u201d happy to be out and said he would \u201chave a beer and get a fry up\u201d to celebrate his freedom. <\/p>\n
James Ashford, 21, who was serving a 12-month sentence at HMP Bristol for carrying an offensive weapon, said “thanks mate, thanks,” when asked if he had a message for Burnham. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt eases the overcrowding, it\u2019s crowded as anything in there. There\u2019s not a cell free, a lot of doubling up of high-risk cells,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n
People celebrate outside HMP Bristol. Credit: PA<\/p>\n
Mr Ashford was asked whether he was concerned that offenders were being released that might pose a danger to the public.\u201cThere are people out on the streets that haven\u2019t been arrested that are a danger to the public,\u201d he replied, insisting that he was \u201c100% rehabilitated\u201d.\u201cI think it helps get people back out into the community, rather than spending a long time inside and its harder to come out the longer you have spent in there,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
Leaving HMP Leeds, 35-year-old Matthew Johnson said he was \u201cbuzzing\u201d to be out, calling the early release scheme a \u201cgood idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey need to free up some places anyway. It\u2019s a bit cramped. The staff are overwhelmed anyway with what they\u2019ve got to cope with at the minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
The father-of-five from Wakefield, said he was going to \u201cgo home and see my kids\u201d after he was released after six months from an 18 month sentence for actual bodily harm.Asked what he would say to opponents of the early release scheme, he said: \u201cYou want to see what\u2019s inside these rooms, then you\u2019ll know. It\u2019s hectic. It\u2019s crowded. It\u2019s overcrowded \u2013 cells for one person with two people in them.\u201d<\/p>\n
A prisoner leaving HMP Wormwood Scrubs, in White City, London. Credit: PA <\/p>\n
Also leaving the Yorkshire jail was Jordan Laverack, 26, who said the first thing on his list post-release was to \u201cgo to KFC\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think early release is good for myself,\u201d he said. \u201cI can see why there\u2019s a lot of attention behind it, because there might be people doing heinous crime who are getting released early. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut for the average person, who\u2019s missed probation like myself, I think it suits somebody like me.\u201dMr Laverack, from Leeds, said he served just under four weeks for missing probation appointments, but would not say why he was on probation, adding: \u201cnothing too bad\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve actually released me with nowhere to stay but I\u2019ve got a few friends I can stay at. The people who don\u2019t will be back doing what they\u2019re doing,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Jordan Laverack, 26, leaving HMP Leeds in West Yorkshire. Credit: PA <\/p>\n
Tom, 32, who was released from HMP Cardiff early after being jailed for burglary, appeared to doubt that he was ready for life outside of prison.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d happily spend my time in there, I mean, I\u2019ve been doing it for 17 years. I\u2019ll probably be back in the next month or two,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like a reset for me, this is. I get out, I take beer, drugs\u2026 Go back in, put a bit of weight of on, do it all again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got nothing better to do with myself, I\u2019m homeless, so what else am I going to do? You can\u2019t be homeless and sober at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Bogle, a 38-year-old serial shoplifter from Brent, North West London, told reporters outside HMP Wandsworth that he served 78 days in prison after breaching a 32-week suspended for theft. The former bus driver said he had been jailed five separate times for 100 convictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep the early release going. It\u2019s good,\u201d he said in a message to the prime minister. Asked if he would vote Labour, he said he did not vote but if he did he would vote for the Labour Party.<\/p>\n
He said there is a risk he would shoplift again \u201cbut hopefully not\u201d, telling reporters he had an approved premises to live and plans to go to the job centre.<\/p>\n
People leaving HMP Durham. Credit: PA<\/p>\n
This month’s release the latest in a series of early release schemes, including under the Conservative government and under Sir Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said offenders would be monitored under the \u201ctoughest supervision in British history\u201d.<\/p>\n
This includes \u201crestriction zones\u201d which will confine the movements of high-risk sexual and violent offenders within a set area.<\/p>\n
It comes alongside the \u201cbiggest-ever\u201d expansion of electronic monitoring, and a ban for offenders from pubs, clubs and public events.<\/p>\n
However, the shadow justice secretary has said Thursday’s releases are an \u201cinsult to victims, a danger to the public\u201d, warning that it will \u201conly encourage more lawbreaking from criminals who know they have a ticket out of prison\u201d.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman has warned the early release scheme may not be workable as it comes into force, adding that the government\u2019s confidence \u201cis not yet matched by the reality on the ground\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ukrainian national Vladimir Hudzyk, 38, celebrates leaving HMP Wormwood Scrubs, in White City, London. Credit: PA <\/p>\n
\u201cVictims and the public have been repeatedly assured that robust safeguards are in place and that those released will face the toughest supervision ever imposed on offenders in the community. Those are significant claims,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBold assertions in press releases are no substitute for effective planning, robust preparation and consistent delivery. All three have been in short supply.\u201d<\/p>\n
The plan to free up capacity in the overcrowded male prison estate comes as figures show the number of people behind bars has jumped by more than 1,700 in the past three months.<\/p>\n
Some 5,000 prisoners are scheduled to be released in stages over the next year, down from 6,000, after ministers intervened to exempt rapists and the most serious child sex offenders.<\/p>\n
Under a separate process introduced by the previous Conservative government, 13,325 prisoners in England and Wales were freed early between October 17 2023 and September 9 2024.<\/p>\n
Prisoners guilty of manslaughter will be excluded, meaning the killers of PC Andrew Harper will not be eligible. Credit: PA<\/p>\n
The prison population of England and Wales stood at 87,499 on Monday, according to weekly data published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) \u2013 up from 85,761 on June 29 \u2013 a rise of 1,738, or 2%.<\/p>\n
Ministers say the expanded early release scheme is needed to prevent the justice system from collapsing, after a summer when the issue dominated news headlines.<\/p>\n
Criminals will be excluded from the scheme if they have been jailed for a range of offences, including members of child grooming gangs convicted of indecent assault.<\/p>\n
Prisoners guilty of manslaughter will also be excluded, meaning the killers of PC Andrew Harper, who died in the line of duty in 2019, will not be eligible. <\/p>\n
Natalie Queiroz, who along with her then-unborn child, survived an nine-minute knife attack by her former partner in 2016, said victims were still unclear on how successful restriction zones would be.<\/p>\n
Her attacker, Babur Raja, who was jailed for 18 years for attempted murder, is due to come up for parole in 2028.<\/p>\n
Ms Queiroz, who is now victims\u2019 advocate for the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, said: \u201cWe must not give victims a false sense of security.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need restriction zones to be a substantial distance from the victim, to be in place for guaranteed extended periods of time to allow victims to live with the freedom they deserve, and real-time monitoring and obligatory tagging of offenders.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben Cockburn, national chairman of Napo (National Association of Probation Officers) said his membership was already under strain, with workers balloting for industrial action in October.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere seems to be absolute denial in the leadership of (His Majesty\u2019s Prison and Probation Service) as to just how bad a state the probation service is in,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have massive staff shortages, unsustainable and dangerously high workloads and this week we will hear again that electronic monitoring is failing to deliver.<\/p>\n
Some 5,000 prisoners are scheduled to be released in stages over the next year. Credit: PA <\/p>\n
Ms Waxman said: \u201cElectronic monitoring, restriction zones and licence conditions can only protect victims if they are properly implemented, monitored and enforced.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless the probation service is properly resourced and set up to succeed, those safeguards risk becoming little more than window dressing in a press release.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Alex Norris said: \u201cToday we are introducing the toughest-ever range of tools to control prison leavers and better protect the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand the anxiety victims face ahead of offenders\u2019 release dates, but the greatest danger to victims would be prisons running out of cells for dangerous criminals which was the crisis this government inherited.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur plan will make sure this never happens again by building 14,000 prison places while subjecting offenders to the toughest-ever controls \u2013 leaving them nowhere to hide and under no doubt that we are watching them.\u201d<\/p>\n