Operation Early Dawn Activated: Government Moves to Alleviate Prison Overcrowding Amid Rioter Sentencings

Operation Early Dawn: Initiative launched to combat prison overcrowding following rioter sentencing

In response to a surge in prison populations, particularly after numerous rioters were incarcerated, the government has initiated a strategy to address the strain on the correctional facilities. This move comes especially after the chairman of the Prison Officers' Association highlighted significant overcrowding issues in the North East and North West regions.

Monday, August 19, 2024, 12:

The government has activated an urgent strategy this morning to prevent overcrowding in prisons, following the recent sentencing of numerous individuals involved in riots.

Operation Early Dawn is an established strategy aimed at allowing suspects awaiting trial to be detained in police cells for extended periods until space becomes available in prisons, should they be ordered to remain in custody.

This might result in court appearances being postponed or rescheduled with little warning.

Authorities are expediting the legal processes for individuals suspected of participating in the recent disturbances in various UK regions, with arrests totaling 927 and 466 of those facing charges as of last Monday.

Last week, it was revealed in court that over 100 individuals have been sentenced. Mark Fairhurst, the national chairman of the Prison Officers Association, reported to the BBC that the prison system experienced a significant surge in new inmates, marking the largest increase in recent times.

"He mentioned that there were 397 new intakes. By Friday, there were just 340 spots remaining in the closed facilities for adult males, which are currently experiencing the highest strain," he stated.

Mr. Fairhurst informed Sky News that the North East and North West regions are experiencing significant strain, resulting in criminals being transported "100, 200 miles away from home" to carry out their sentences.

The Ministry of Justice announced that following the government's strong measures against violent street crime, numerous individuals have been incarcerated in northern England's prisons over the past few weeks.

The policy will be implemented in the regions of North East and Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, and Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire.

Prisons Minister Lord Timpson stated, "The justice system we took over was in a state of turmoil and vulnerable to disturbances. Consequently, we've had to make tough, yet essential choices to maintain its functionality."

"Nevertheless, due to the diligent efforts of our committed team and collaborators, we've accelerated the creation of extra prison spaces and have launched Operation Early Dawn to alleviate the strains experienced in various regions."

Downing Street indicated that these actions might be implemented multiple times throughout the summer, with each instance potentially lasting about a week.

Further reading: Correctional facilities struggle with limited resources as they prepare for the upcoming early release program. The surge in UK riot-related charges puts additional strain on prisons. Numerous additional cells have been made available to accommodate those arrested for rioting.

Last month, the Ministry of Justice reported that the levels of violence and self-harm in prisons had reached intolerable levels, with overcrowding driving some facilities to the brink of breakdown.

A harsh review of HMP Wandsworth in southwest London uncovered "disorder" and "dreadful conditions," attributed to "inadequate leadership at all levels."

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood intends to temporarily reduce the percentage of a sentence that an inmate must serve before becoming eligible for parole from 50% to 40%, as a measure to alleviate overcrowding.

The anticipated outcome is the release of 5,500 individuals during the months of September and October.

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Individuals found guilty of terrorism, sexual offenses, domestic abuse, and certain violent crimes will not be covered by this policy. Additionally, the government has stated that participants in the riots will also be excluded from eligibility.

The previous administration last implemented Operation Early Dawn in May, aiming to alleviate overcrowding once again.

The Law Society cautioned that there might be delays in court cases, and lawyers may not be certain if their clients' cases would proceed until they actually reached the courthouse.

What is Operation Early Dawn?

This initiative permits individuals awaiting court proceedings to be detained in police facilities until additional room is available in prisons.

Individuals detained are brought before judicial officers only after additional detention space has been secured.

This approach is aimed at reducing disturbances during bail hearings and is considered a temporary solution to alleviate capacity strains in various areas.

The procedure includes evaluations conducted each morning and periodically during the day.

This examines which accused individuals are eligible to attend court proceedings and identifies the available detention facilities should they be ordered to remain in custody.

The policy will not affect current crown court trials involving inmates who attend hearings and then proceed back to prison as usual.

Initiative Operation Early Dawn will not affect police powers to detain offenders, ensuring that individuals who are considered a threat will continue to be denied bail.

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