Overview

• The UK government announced a 28-day fixed recall period for offenders serving one to four year sentences, pending legislation.
• Prisons in England and Wales are operating at 99% capacity, with 88,087 inmates, prompting urgent measures to prevent system collapse.
• The policy excludes serious violent and sexual offenders, as well as those convicted of terrorist or national security crimes.
• Critics, including the Victims' Commissioner, warn that re-releasing high-risk offenders without full Parole Board review endangers public safety.
• Plans for three new prisons, backed by £4.7 billion in funding, aim to expand capacity long-term, with construction starting this year.