Prisons: Overcrowding

Reducing prison overcrowding is a significant challenge inherited from the previous Government. The Department’s priority is to ensure there is enough capacity in the prison estate in the short and longer term. In July, we were forced to announced a package of measures in order to prevent the criminal justice system from collapsing. This included a change to the automatic release point for those serving standard determinate sentences from 50% to 40%.

We are also committed to delivering 20,000 additional prison places through the construction of a further four new prisons, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate, including through temporary accommodation.

Furthermore, we announced our plan to publish a ten-year prison capacity strategy. The strategy will outline the steps that the Government will take to acquire land for new prison sites, and will classify prisons as being of national importance, placing decision making on planning for new prisons in Ministers’ hands. The Government is committed to making prisons create better citizens not better criminals, and ensuring that we stop the cycle of reoffending.