Prisoners freed early are returning to jail at rapid rate, governors tell BBC
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Sima Kotecha
Senior UK Correspondent
Andrew Aitchison/In Pictures Ltd./Corbis via Getty Images
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Prisoners who were freed under the government’s last early release scheme are returning to jail at a rapid rate, prison governors have told the BBC. They report seeing the same inmates, released as part of the 2024 scheme to ease overcrowding, reoffending and coming back to prison after breaching their conditions.
"The churn is what stresses me out," said one governor in the Midlands, describing it as a "revolving door".
This issue has arisen as Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced changes to the next early release scheme, beginning in October, following outrage over the eligibility of the killers of PC Andrew Harper. On Sunday, Burnham stated that these individuals will not be released, telling the BBC that anyone convicted of unlawful killing will be excluded from the scheme.
He acknowledged that this means "hundreds" more people will remain in prison, as England and Wales’ prisons reach capacity, exceeding 97% full.
The government intends to create more prison space by deporting foreign inmates and releasing some serving indefinite sentences, but these measures are unlikely to significantly alleviate the situation by October.
BBC News interviewed three serving prison governors in England to gauge the current state of correctional facilities and staff experiences with overcrowding. Due to prison staff’s media restrictions, their identities and the prisons they govern are anonymous.
One governor from a prison in northern England expressed frustration with the PM’s plans to ease overcrowding, stating, "It’s all short-term solutions and we need space now." They added that providing additional cells will require more staff, which is challenging given existing staff shortages, resulting in prisoners not having access to safe and decent living conditions.
The governor also highlighted the high rate of prisoner recalls, noting, "We see the same people coming back after being released early and reoffending again, or breaking their [release] rules."
In the year ending March 2026, there were 51,419 licence recalls—when a prisoner is sent back to prison due to breaching conditions or new risk concerns—a 28% increase from the previous year (40,259 recalls).
