Baroness Helen Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, has raised concerns that not all victims have been informed about the early release of offenders under a new government scheme addressing prison overcrowding.
This comes as warnings were issued as 1,700 UK prisoners have been released due to emergency measures to deal with prison overcrowding in England and Wales.
She revealed that, despite seeking assurances, it “has not been possible in every case” to notify all affected victims. Newlove emphasised that transparency and oversight are crucial, urging that victim safety must remain the priority. “Risk assessments and robust release plans are paramount,” she said, stressing the importance of managing released offenders. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs said:
“There is no justice in allowing perpetrators of domestic abuse to released early. I worry that it might not be possible for every victim to be notified of their abuser’s release and I fear they may be left blindsided, without the time to seek vital support and guidance.
I have made it clear to Government that to safeguard victims, all offenders with a known history of domestic abuse must be exempt from this scheme. For many victims, their perpetrator’s imprisonment is a critical period of respite, where they can make plans for their safety and their future.
Alarmingly, some domestic abuse services report that a shortage of prison places may be leading to more lenient, or fewer custodial sentences. That’s why I am calling on the Ministry of Justice to closely monitor sentencing and take swift action if it is needed.
We must not forget that this early release scheme is only a temporary fix. The prison crisis is far from over, and the Government must deliver a permanent solution that keeps victims’ safety and justice at the front and centre.”
The government’s decision to release prisoners early comes in response to severe overcrowding in UK prisons, with Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds describing it as an “emergency decision.” In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Reynolds acknowledged the system’s spare capacity had fallen to less than 1 per cent, forcing the government to act. He attributed the crisis to the previous Conservative government, criticising their failure to manage prison populations responsibly.
Reynolds assured the public that safeguards are in place, including tighter supervision, ankle tagging, and restrictions on releasing violent offenders or domestic abusers. He conceded, however, that this is the type of decision no government would want to make and acknowledged public concern, stating, “most British people would say it should never get to this point.”
Campaigners and public figures have taken to social media to express their concerns about the early release of violent offenders; including Ms Jacobs.
Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation, warned that the probation service is under immense pressure due to the influx of released offenders. He cited poor pay, structural issues, and low retention as reasons for the service being overstretched. Jones predicted that about a third of those released are likely to reoffend, underscoring the need for greater investment in the criminal justice system. He stressed that this investment would ultimately benefit both victims and society as a whole.
The release of thousands of prisoners has sparked concern from victims and the public alike, with the government underlining that this is a temporary, emergency measure. Law Society of England and Wales president Nick Emmerson, said:
“The early release scheme is a pragmatic response to the chronic lack of jail spaces. While not an ideal step to take, in view of the parlous state of our prisons, it enables more time and space for longer-term solutions to the many problems bedevilling our criminal justice system.”
Since last year VAWG campaigners and organisations such as women’s aid have implored the government to exclude sexual offenders from the early release scheme, sparking safety concerns for women and girls.
Refuge, Women’s Aid, EVAW, SafeLives, Advance, Respect, Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA), Agenda Alliance, Solace, The Drive Partnership, IDAS, Al Hasaniya Moroccan Women’s Centre, Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid, and Juno Women’s Aid, are all concerned about the impact the early release of perpetrators can have on the physical safety and mental wellbeing of survivors and urge the Government to maintain the commitments they’ve made to protecting women and girls by exempting perpetrators.
