Prisoners' Release
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what categorisations of crimes will perpetrators be eligible for release from prison under the early release schemes; and what methodology was been used to determine the categories of offenders to be released.
Answered by Sir Nicholas Dakin
Release provisions for different sentence types and length are fixed by law. This change has amended the automatic release point for standard determinate sentences.
Certain offences have been excluded from this change. This includes sex offences irrespective of sentence length; serious violent offences with a sentence of four years or more; specified offences linked to domestic abuse irrespective of sentence length (including stalking, coercive or controlling behaviour and non-fatal strangulation); as well as offences concerning national security. The change will also not apply to sentences subject to release at the discretion of the Parole Board or to certain sexual offences and violent offences which currently attract automatic release from an SDS at the two-thirds point.
This means that by law, an offender serving multiple sentences could have a mixture of some sentences that are eligible for the 40% release point and others that are not. Someone serving a sentence for an excluded offence will not see their custodial time for that sentence reduced.
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