Overview
- The Prime Minister halted the early-release provisions on Thursday and said no prisoners will be released under the policy until an urgent review is completed.
- The Sentencing Act changes due in September would have moved many prisoners to automatic community release earlier in their terms, cutting some release points from half to one third and from two thirds to half for more serious offenders.
- Officials estimated roughly 6,000 people could be affected by the new rules and about 700 would have been part of an initial September release tranche.
- Victims and police voices, including the family of PC Andrew Harper, forced the pause after reporting showed two men convicted in his killing could become eligible and some individual release plans were reportedly halted.
- Ministers say the review will take place in the coming days and weeks to balance public safety and victims’ concerns with warnings that prisons could run out of capacity by November without measures to free beds and that any carve-outs for specific crimes may require legislative change.