CJWU PRESS RELEASE
EARLY RELEASE OF PRISONERS
09/08/2024
The CJWU are aware that the newly formed Labour Party Government are considering lowering the automatic release point in a prisoner’s sentence to ease overcrowding to either 43% or 40% from 50%.
Whilst this may seem the only option to ease pressure on the overcrowded prison system, the CJWU would urge the Government to use caution when applying such changes to those convicted of the most serious offences or risk playing ‘Russian roulette’ with the safety of the general public.
Additionally, the lowering of the automatic release point will undoubtedly have a significant impact on other areas of the criminal justice sector, as prisoners are released early with a greater chance of being recalled into prison, reoffending and having not addressed the issues that led to them being imprisoned in the first place, releasing large volumes of prisoners early will result in added pressure on probation, police and healthcare services, those prisoners that will be released early and will go on to be recalled or reoffend will head back into the prison system quickly and create additional burden on remand prisons and the court system which already has a backlog of over 53,000 cases.
The CJWU understands that there is an urgent need for solutions to this mounting problem and stands ready to meet with the Lord Chancellor or Prisons minister to find workable solutions.
Executive Committee
Criminal Justice Workers Union