UK Government Announces Emergency Measures to Prevent Prison Overcrowding Crisis

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood warns of imminent capacity issues as early release scheme faces delays

New policy will cut time served for many sentences from 50% to 40%, excluding serious offenders.
Officials fear prisons will reach full capacity before the new measures take effect in September.
Contingency plans include using police cells and other emergency accommodations.
Experts call for long-term solutions to reduce the number of people entering the prison system.
Justice Secretary promises to recruit 1,000 new probation officers and accelerate prison-building efforts.