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Report Calls for Massive Prison Expansion to Address Overcrowding and Public Safety

Policy Exchange recommends 53,000 new spaces, earned early-release reforms, and £6.5 billion in funding as England and Wales face a prison capacity crisis.

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Overview

  • The Policy Exchange report urges the government to build 53,000 additional prison spaces, far exceeding the 14,000 places currently planned by 2031.
  • Proposed reforms include replacing automatic release after 40% of a sentence with an earned-release system based on good behavior, work, and rehabilitation.
  • The report highlights public safety concerns, noting that only 46% of hyper-prolific offenders with over 45 prior convictions were sentenced to custody in 2023.
  • A £6.5 billion investment is recommended to expand capacity and refurbish outdated Victorian-era prisons to meet modern standards.
  • Former Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke supports the recommendations, emphasizing the need for increased capacity to protect the public and ensure accountability for offenders.