Prison recalls rise as England and Wales expand early-release measures

Crime · First reported 29 Oct, 13:17 · Updated 17:49

Image: Wikimedia Commons · NASA Johnson Space Center · Public domain

Ministry of Justice figures show 52,716 people were recalled to custody in England and Wales in the year to June, while 79,274 prisoners were released early under emergency measures between September 2024 and June 2026. The government said the measures addressed overcrowding; the department linked the rise in recalls partly to policy changes.

There were 52,716 recalls in the year to June, 27% more than in the previous 12-month period.
The emergency SDS40 scheme released 79,274 prisoners early between September 2024 and June 2026, reducing the share of eligible sentences served in prison from 50% to 40%.
The Ministry of Justice said several policy changes likely contributed to the recall increase; a permanent early-release scheme replaced the emergency measures from 1 October.

Summary written by Lux AI from 2 articles

Key facts

Annual recalls: 52,716 in the year to June, up 27% on the previous 12 months.
Early releases under emergency measures: 79,274 between September 2024 and June 2026.
SDS40 sentence share: Eligible prisoners’ required time in prison was reduced from 50% to 40% of their sentences.
First-half comparison: From April to June, 12,338 people were recalled and 12,278 released; from January to March, 13,193 were recalled and 12,977 released.