PCC raises stark warning on Government decision to release prisoners early

Thousands of prisoners are set to be released early, following today’s (Friday 12 July) announcement by the Government.

The main measure announced includes the release of prisoners after they have served 40% of their time in prison if they have been sentenced to less than four years.

As Chair of West Mercia’s Local Criminal Justice Board, which brings together partners across the criminal justice system, PCC John Campion has urged the Government to re-evaluate its decision.

“This announcement does not fix the fundamental issue. The fact remains that a third of former prisoners commit another offence within twelve months of release.

“The system is stuck in a continuous cycle of offending and re-offending which is only going to speed-up by enabling prisoners to serve less of their sentence and effectively, undermining prison as a deterrent.

“What’s more, this has a human cost. Cutting time behind bars does not deliver justice for victims of crime who suffer a life-long sentence dealing with the harm caused to them. This impact extends to future victims, who will see their perpetrator walking free serving less than half of their sentence.

“In West Mercia, there are now record number of police officers which I will ensure continue to bring evermore offenders to justice – a key priority of the communities I serve. Therefore, it’s incumbent on any governing party to set-up the whole system to deliver victims the justice they deserve by delivering effective punishment.

“I recognise the Government has to act to address the current crisis, but it must also quickly set out its longer-term vision for fixing our criminal justice system.”