Overview
- Ministry of Justice data show 38,042 prisoners were freed between September 2024 and June 2025 under SDS40, which permits eligible fixed-term inmates to leave at 40% of their sentence rather than halfway.
- A man released under the scheme has been charged with murder in London, with a serious further offence review expected, according to The Times.
- Recalls to custody reached 11,041 in April to June 2025, which the MoJ describes as historically high and likely connected to the early-release programme and earlier recall-rule changes.
- The overall prison population stood at 87,465 on September 30, 2025, up 1% year on year, indicating pressure on capacity despite large-scale early releases.
- Ministers cite a Sentencing Bill with earned-release provisions, tougher community penalties for short sentences, and a plan for 14,000 additional prison places by 2031 as longer-term measures.