Male prisons in England and Wales have fewer than 1,800 spaces
More than 83,000 spaces are occupied by male inmates, despite the government’s efforts to free up more space by not jailing anyone for under one year.
Prison staff told the BBC that the high level of offenders being recalled to prison for breaching license conditions or re-offending has significantly reduced the extra space available. Since June, there has been a downward trend in the number of vacant spaces.
This comes before the government plans to release about 5,000 inmates early from October to alleviate overcrowding.
Figures released by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) reveal they are building more prisons while also exploring early release options and expanding electronic tagging.
The MoJ spokesperson emphasized that "public safety will always be our priority" and that they are taking measures to keep "more of the most serious offenders behind bars."
Related topics:
- UK prisons
- Prisons
- Ministry of Justice
