No fewer than 500 prisoners are set to be released early as part of the United Kingdom (UK) government’s initiative to address chronic overcrowding in it’s jails.
Former justice secretary, David Gauke, who is chairing the review, highlighted that the prison population, currently around 89,000, is increasing by 4,500 each year, with 90 percent of those sentenced to custody being reoffenders.
This move comes on the heels of a previous controversial policy that saw 1700 prisoners freed last month.
Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has stated that previous errors, which resulted in 37 ineligible prisoners being released mistakenly, had now been “ironed out.”
The review will explore options for implementing tougher non-custodial punishments for some convicted criminals to ensure prison space is available for dangerous offenders, the African Insider reports.
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Proposed measures include “nudge” technology—watches or apps aimed at encouraging compliance with conditions imposed on offenders— as well as home detention curfews.
Under the early release scheme, certain non-violent offenders who meet specific conditions can now be released after serving 40 percent of their sentence instead of the usual 50 percent.
According to Mahmood, the “review will explore what punishment and rehabilitation should look like in the 21st century, and how we can move our justice system out of crisis and towards a long-term, sustainable future.”
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