Reoffending hits all-time high as Labour’s early prison release scheme backfires

Reoffending has hit an all-time high as cracks in Labour's early prison release scheme continue to reveal themselves.

Last week, Andy Burnham announced he would pause the scheme following fevered fury over the possible release of PC Andrew Harper's killers.

The scheme would have allowed around 700 prisoners to walk free in a few weeks' time, all of whom would have been released before having completed their sentence behind bars.

But the Prime Minister has frozen all releases until a review to set out who can and cannot be freed early and what further safeguards can be installed to protect survivors.

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New data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has shown that, from 2024 onwards, close to a third (31.9 per cent) of convicted adult criminals reoffended.

Whitehall admitted that around 25,000 of those jailed would go on to reoffend, almost a three per cent jump on the previous year when 29.2 per cent of prisoners were caught reoffending on Britain's streets.

The 25,000 would go on to commit more than 127,000 further offences, many of whom had been released from prison.

Since Labour began the early release scheme back in September 2024, around 69,974 offenders have already been let loose into society.

The scheme allowed prisoners to walk free 40 per cent of the way through their sentences, not just halfway.

It was designed after prisons across England and Wales were severely low in capacity, with fewer than 100 spaces for offenders remaining at one point.

But the problem has persisted, which is why the MoJ has continued in its bid to release some of the UK's worst offenders out into the public once again.

Tory Shadow Justice Minister Kieran Mullan hit out at Labour for being "extremely dishonest", arguing that Labour would release the likes of killers and rapists.

LABOUR'S EARLY RELEASE SCHEME - READ MORE:

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As a result, Kemi Badenoch has called on Mr Burnham to introduce emergency legislation to make sure that the worst offenders remain locked up.

She said: "It's quite clear that the prime minister sees that this is a problem, but I don't think he knows what to do about it."

Without fast-tracked legislation, the Tory leader stressed that the criminals could be set free just a day after MPs return from their summer holidays.

Mrs Badenoch told Mr Burnham to recall Parliament for the legislation.

When asked if she would assign blame to the last Conservative Government, she said: "We did something, it wasn't enough, I'm sorry about that.

"I can't fix the past, what I can do is come up with solutions."

An MoJ spokesman said: "Protecting the public will always be our top priority.

"That’s why we took the decisive action needed to prevent the total collapse of our prison system after just 500 net prison places were added and 23 prisons closed in the 14 years before July 2024 – risking a breakdown of law and order.

"Now we’re making sure it never happens again.

"We’ve already delivered 3,200 prison places as part of the largest prison building programme in over a century, alongside a £700million investment in probation to deliver tougher community punishment as well as record investment for victim services to ensure we can always lock up dangerous criminals and protect the public."

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