Prison governors in England and Wales are sounding the alarm on the imminent crisis of overcrowding in jails. The Prison Governors’ Association, representing 95% of prison governors, has issued a warning to political leaders that the public is at risk as jails are on the brink of running out of space. The association emphasizes that police officers may soon be unable to detain people due to the lack of available space for new inmates.
According to the latest Ministry of Justice figures, the current inmate population in jails stands at 87,395, with only 88,778 total spaces available. The PGA’s letter, exclusively obtained by BBC News, stresses that action needs to be taken immediately to address the critical situation. With court and police custody suite cells filling up rapidly, the backlog of cases in the criminal justice system is expected to increase, leading to a breakdown in operations.
Sources within the Ministry of Justice have revealed that there have been discussions about invoking the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to grant ministers additional powers, such as early release of inmates, in response to the overcrowding crisis. However, it is unlikely that any action will be taken until after the upcoming election.
In response to the emergency situation, the government recently implemented Operation Early Dawn, which allows for some defendants to be held in police custody for extended periods or released on bail. The PGA is calling for a change in legislation that would mandate the routine release of prisoners after serving 40% of their sentence, even for those currently in custody.
Both major political parties have pledged to address the issue of overcrowding by building more prisons. The Conservatives aim to complete their plan of constructing 20,000 new prison spaces by 2030 by eliminating what they refer to as EU legacy rules. On the other hand, Labour plans to create 20,000 prison places by granting ministers the authority to override local authorities on planning decisions.
In a statement, the government reassured the public that the police and prison service have established protocols to manage short-term capacity challenges. Collaboration across the justice system is ongoing to ensure that there are enough prison spaces to maintain public safety. The government spokesperson emphasized the importance of working closely with partners to address the critical situation in prisons.