Union leaders have warned that proposed changes to the early release scheme, announced by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, could increase the risk of some dangerous prisoners being released by mistake. The warning comes as probation staff voted overwhelmingly to strike over workloads, adding to pressure on the government's plans to free up prison space.
Union Concerns Over Early Release Changes
Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors' Association, said further changes to the scheme could lead to prisoners being wrongly released. "Mistakes are more likely due to having to recalculate sentences against a very tight deadline," he said. The concerns follow Burnham's announcement that he had instructed Justice Secretary Alex Norris to find more prison spaces so that serious offenders, including the killers of PC Andrew Harper, would not be freed early.
Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers' Association, also criticized the plan to use women's prisons for male offenders, stating, "Repurposing women's prisons to accommodate male prisoners is not something that can simply be achieved by changing the sign above the door." He added that additional staffing, training, security, and operational requirements would be inevitable, and that the physical design of women's prisons may not be suitable for a male population.
Probation Staff Vote for Strike
In a separate development, probation officers' union Napo announced that 91% of its members voted in favor of strike action. Ben Cockburn, Napo's national chair, said the vote was "professionals warning they cannot protect the public properly when there are not enough people to do the work." The union's statement said the result "should come as a blow to government as it prepares to expand early release from prison and implement Sentencing Act changes."
The Ministry of Justice expressed disappointment at the strike vote and said it would continue to engage with the union. Officials in Norris's department are reportedly working at full speed to prepare detailed plans to free up prison spaces by September.
Background and Impact
The early release scheme was introduced to alleviate overcrowding in prisons across England and Wales. It initially exempted prisoners convicted of rape, serious child sexual abuse, and grooming offenses, but not manslaughter. This prompted public outcry when it emerged that Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, convicted of manslaughter in the death of PC Andrew Harper, were due for release in January. Harper, 28, was killed in 2019 when he was dragged along a road in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, after being caught in a strap attached to a car fleeing a quad bike theft.
Burnham acknowledged "the depth of public concern" and said he was confident "that there's more that can be done, and will be done to address public concern." He proposed removing foreign offenders more quickly, releasing lower-risk prisoners on indeterminate sentences, and "making greater use of the entire prison estate including using the female estate for male offenders." However, Wheatley noted that removing overseas prisoners could be difficult, as many would resist and lacked proper documentation. A petition demanding intervention has gathered nearly 900,000 signatures, reflecting widespread public interest.
