Britain’s prisons at 99% capacity: Recalled inmates to be freed after 28 days, £4.7 billion allocated for 'record' expansion

In a move to ease the pressure on Britain’s overflowing jails, justice secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced emergency measures allowing recalled prisoners to be released after just 28 days.This step is expected to free up 1,400 prison places, reports the Independent.Speaking on Wednesday, Mahmood warned that the prison system is at a crisis point, with jails now 99 per cent full and on course to completely run out of space within five months. “If our prisons overflow, courts cancel trials, police halt their arrests, crime goes unpunished and we reach a total breakdown of law and order,” she said.The emergency scheme will apply to offenders serving one to four-year sentences who are recalled for breaching their licence terms. However, those recalled for serious further offences, including certain sexual and violent crimes and serious domestic abuse, will be excluded.While announcing the early release plan, Mahmood also revealed £4.7 billion in Treasury funding for a "record prison expansion". This will support three new facilities. Existing prisons will also see additional cells added.However, Mahmood admitted that “we cannot build our way out of this crisis”, warning that the population is increasing by around 3,000 each year, enough to fill two prisons annually.Despite already releasing more than 16,000 inmates after just 40 per cent of their sentences, Mahmood said further action was essential to “buy us the time we need”.

Amy Rees, the Ministry of Justice’s interim permanent secretary, said running prisons nearly full is dangerous. It causes more violence, less time for education and work, and forces the system to use emergency plans. Rees warned that the justice system could break down. Police might not be able to arrest people, and courts could be forced to let dangerous offenders go on bail.