Early prisoner release ‘a slap in the face’ for police and victims

17 September 2024

The early release of 1,750 prisoners in England and Wales this month is a 'slap in the face' for police officers and victims of crime, says the Federation.

Earlier this month (10 September) the new Labour Government responded to an acute shortage of prison places by releasing hundreds of inmates, including many who had served just 40 per cent of their expected jail time.

The move has been widely condemned, with probation officers’ union Napo, saying its members were given 'a week’s notice' in some cases to prepare for the releases and put plans in place to monitor ex-prisoners.

Commenting, North Yorkshire Police Federation chair Rob Bowles said: “There is so much wrong with this decision. Not only does it increase the risk to our members and the public it undermines confidence in the justice system. What message are we sending if you can be convicted of a crime and don’t ‘do the time’ in prison?

Tough sentences

“Only recently, the courts were encouraged to throw the book at rioters and impose tough sentences, yet here we are a few weeks later seeing serious criminals celebrating outside prisons after getting an early release. This sends confusing signals, and I would urge the Government to put the necessary investment in place to expand prison places and maintain a deterrent.”

Rob pointed out that the burden of dealing with those who re-offend will fall back on already hard-pressed police officers in North Yorkshire and elsewhere, further straining resources.

He added: “This is also a slap in the face of colleagues who spend weeks or months gathering the evidence to secure convictions, or directly risk their safety to protect the public. They are feeling let down and disappointed by this decision and worried about the safety of the public.”

Offenders serving more than five years are not eligible for early release.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said: “The government inherited prisons in crisis and on the brink of collapse. Had that happened, the courts would have been unable to hold trials and the police to make arrests.”