UK Government Faces Criticism Over Early Release Scheme Amid Prison Overcrowding

Officials insist safeguards are in place to prevent early release of high-risk offenders, but concerns persist over the scheme's impact.

Prime Minister Starmer claims the previous government failed to build enough prisons, leading to current overcrowding issues.
The temporary scheme allows some prisoners to be released after serving 40% of their sentence to ease the near-full prison estate.
Former Justice Secretary Alex Chalk argues against long custodial sentences for non-violent offenders, citing high costs and limited public safety benefits.
Five senior retired judges call for reversing the trend of longer sentences, noting they have doubled in length over the past 50 years.
The prison population in England and Wales reached a record high of 88,521, with a significant rise in the past month.