Government Assures No Domestic Abuse Offenders Among Early Prison Releases, Amid Overcrowding Crisis

Minister confirms measures to prevent early release of domestic abuse offenders tomorrow

Approximately 1,700 inmates are set to be released ahead of schedule on Tuesday to address the issue of overcrowding in prisons across England and Wales. Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson has stated that the government is making efforts to exclude those incarcerated for domestic abuse from this early release group.

Political correspondent @alixculbertson

Monday, September 9, 2024, 10:

The policing minister announced that they have carefully reviewed the records of inmates scheduled for early release tomorrow to ensure that no domestic abusers are among them.

On Tuesday, approximately 1,700 inmates in England and Wales will be granted early release as a measure to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

The authorities have stated that individuals convicted of severe violent crimes, terrorism, and domestic violence will not be eligible for release under this program.

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According to Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, speaking to The Times, victims of domestic abuse are experiencing significant anxiety and sleeplessness due to concerns that individuals convicted of offenses like common assault against a partner may not be properly identified as domestic abusers upon their release.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson stated that the government has been making efforts to prevent that situation.

Speaking to Sky News, she said, "We've conducted a thorough search to pinpoint individuals whose main offense isn't classified as domestic abuse, despite having a known history. Measures have been implemented to offer the best protection possible in these cases."

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"Unfortunately, it's well-known that domestic abuse is widespread within the community of offenders."

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Sir Keir Starmer has attributed the shortage of prison facilities to the former Conservative administration, stating that this situation has compelled him to implement early release programs for inmates.

Dame Diana announced that approximately 1,700 inmates are scheduled for release tomorrow. She noted that around 5,500 inmates across England and Wales are slated for early release in September and October under a temporary initiative.

The government has stated that the inmates will complete their remaining sentence terms with the "most stringent licensing terms" and will be monitored electronically.

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Martin Jones, the Chief Inspector of Probation, emphasized that there are no options completely devoid of risk.

He mentioned that the two months allocated by the government for the probation service to prepare for the program has provided it with "at least a fighting chance to succeed."

He cautioned that the release of numerous offenders raises the risk that some may commit crimes again when they ought to remain incarcerated.

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In an August interview with The Times, he expressed: "Realistically, it's unavoidable that there will be setbacks. I'd love for us to reside in an ideal world where such things don't occur.

"My view is that as individuals begin to concentrate on these issues, they quickly recognize the problems and learn from them."

"I believe there's somewhat of a gamble involved, constantly taking risks when it comes to serious subsequent offenses."

"Ultimately, when you release thousands of individuals, it's inevitable that some of those cases will unfortunately result in adverse outcomes."

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A spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice stated: "The current administration took over a judicial system that was in turmoil, compelling them to make tough, yet essential decisions to continue incarcerating high-risk offenders and safeguard the populace."

"Individuals placed on Home Detention Curfew undergo thorough risk evaluations, are subject to stringent licensing requirements, and are required to wear electronic monitoring tags."

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