PCC John Campion has welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to pause the Government’s early release scheme, which would have seen thousands of offenders across England and Wales eligible for release sooner than planned.
The PCC said: “I have repeatedly and consistently called for the Government to reconsider this scheme, so pausing it is absolutely the right decision.
“In West Mercia we are already seeing the impact on victims and policing. I have raised significant concerns about the injustice of offenders who have served only a fraction of their sentence being released back into local communities, and the consequences this has for victims.
“The Sentencing Act places substantial risk back into the community and adds further demand on policing to manage offenders. I urge the Prime Minister to urgently review the eligibility criteria and automatic release arrangements, including whether legislative changes are needed to strengthen public protection, keep violent offenders behind bars for longer, and ensure safeguards such as electronic monitoring are resilient enough to keep victims safe.
“That review must now form part of a clear, long term plan for prisons – one that protects victims, supports policing and ensures public safety remains the overriding priority.”
Burnham pauses early prison release scheme that was due to start in September – BBC News
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