Andy Burnham has indicated that he would review the early prisoner release policy before it goes ahead, following concerns over the lack of exemptions for serious offenders.
New Sentencing Act and Release Plans
Hundreds of offenders will start being released early under the new Sentencing Act from September. Unlike the emergency measures in the early months of the Labour government, in which tens of thousands of prisoners were released as prisons ran out of space, the new sentencing law includes no exemptions for prisoners convicted of serious crimes, domestic abuse or terrorism.
Burnham's Statement
According to the Press Association, Burnham stated: "All I can say is I will review the whole of this policy. Nobody can deny the pressure on prison places. We did not invest in the prison estate when we should as a country, going back a decade or so ago, when it was clear that there was going to be pressure. That has created an unacceptable situation now. But I want to assure myself that everything has been looked at before this policy proceeds, and I can give that assurance that every single part of this I will look into with the justice secretary. I can’t say that I can change the policy completely, but I will look at it in detail before we go further forward."
Context and Impact
The review comes amid ongoing concerns about prison overcrowding in the UK. The previous emergency releases involved tens of thousands of inmates, but the new Act lacks exemptions for serious crimes, sparking debate about public safety. Burnham's review will assess the policy's details before full implementation.
