Understand
Early prison releases in England and Wales: Why some prisoners are freed after serving a third of their sentence
Overview
Around 650 more prisoners in England and Wales are set for early release under the government's scheme allowing eligible offenders to leave after serving a third of their sentence. Ministers attribute the capacity crisis to a rising prison population driven by longer sentences, an increase in licence recalls, and delays in prison building.
Key points
- Around 650 more prisoners in England and Wales are being released early under the second tranche of the government scheme.
- Eligible prisoners are released after serving a third of their sentence, though those convicted of manslaughter, rape, and serious child sex offences are excluded.
- The prison population reached 87,033 on 12 October, operating at 97.8% of useable capacity.
- Justice Secretary Alex Norris cited a prison capacity crisis, with a total of 4,500 prisoners scheduled for early release by June 2027.
- The Institute for Government notes that longer average sentences—which were over 25% longer in Crown Courts in 2023 compared to 2012—have contributed to rising prison populations.
- Licence recalls increased by 28% to 51,419 in the year ending March 2026, putting further pressure on prison capacity.
- Successive governments have faced delays and slow delivery in expanding prison infrastructure, resulting in the need for ongoing early release measures.