Record Mistaken Releases and Escalating Violence: Crisis Deepens in England and Wales Prisons

Last year saw 87 inmates mistakenly freed as incidents of violence and self-harm increased in packed prisons. The correctional facilities of England and Wales are grappling with high inmate populations, leading to assaults on staff and prisoners and a decline in safety standards.

Political correspondent @alixculbertson

Thursday, July 25, 2024, 4:

Last year saw an unprecedented number of inmates mistakenly freed, while incidents of violence and self-harm escalated in the ever more congested prison facilities, according to recent data.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, there was an unprecedented increase in the number of inmates mistakenly freed, with 87 prisoners released in error, marking a 23% rise from the previous year in England and Wales, as per the latest data from the Ministry of Justice.

Inmates are mistakenly freed due to various errors such as misplaced detention or remand orders, overlooked recall notices, inaccurate sentence calculations, or the accidental release of the wrong individual during transfers.

Of the 87 individuals mistakenly freed, 70 were due to prison errors, while the remaining 17 were incorrectly released due to court mistakes.

New data disclosed a rise in prison breakouts, reporting that 12 individuals managed to escape in the year leading up to March 2024.

One inmate was still on the run a month after breaking out of jail.

The breakout of ex-soldier Daniel Khalife from Wandsworth Prison, where he was being held on terrorism-related charges, made headlines last September. Khalife managed to flee the facility by hiding under a food delivery truck, prompting a nationwide search as authorities sought assistance from the public.

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The previous year, eight inmates managed to break out, though none remained free for longer than 30 days.

Discover more: Guard wounded with a knife at HMP Frankland as troubled juvenile detention center becomes England's most violent prison.

The number of inmates rose by 2% this year, reaching a total of 87,726 incarcerated individuals as of June 30, 2024.

This represents an increase of approximately 4,700 compared to the numbers before the pandemic.

Prison overcrowding has risen for the third consecutive year, with 23.6% of inmates living in congested conditions, up from 22.9% in the prior year.

In tightly packed correctional facilities, an overwhelming 99.7% of inmates, totaling 20,470 individuals, were confined to shared cells designed for two people

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Authorities have sanctioned a new law that will allow certain inmates, excluding those convicted of the most severe crimes, to be released on parole after completing 40% of their term, a reduction from the previously required 50%, in an effort to reduce prison overcrowding.

Incidents of violence in prisons surged by almost 30%, totaling 28,292 assaults over the course of a year.

The number of prisons classified under the most severe "serious concern" category rose from nine to 15 in the year ending in March, out of 123 total facilities in England and Wales.

Thirteen prisons maintained their outstanding rating from the previous year, while 35 were flagged as being of concern, the second lowest category, and 56 received a good rating.

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Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood KC stated, "Our correctional facilities are facing a severe crisis, which is resulting in widespread violence and damage within the prison walls.

"These figures shed light on the current realities within prison facilities, underscoring the imperative need for our intervention."

"This administration is committed to safeguarding the community, incarcerating serious criminals, and ensuring the security of both inmates and the courageous personnel who manage our correctional facilities."

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Reports indicate a rise in the discovery of drugs, mobile phones, and weapons within prisons, while instances of alcohol confiscation

Please provide the text

• 21,145 instances of drug discoveries (up by 44%)

• Confiscation of 10,669 cell phones (up by 35%)

• 11,641 instances of weapon findings (up 24%)

• 9,136 instances of alcohol detection (a reduction of 4%).

The number of self-harm cases in prisons reached an unprecedented peak of 73,804, translating to one inmate injuring themselves every seven minutes.

Women's prisons had the highest rates of self-harm incidents, with 66.7% (eight) receiving the lowest or second lowest scores in that category.

Additionally, these were the prisons with the worst records for staff assaults, with 75% (nine out of twelve) not achieving their set goals.

Every intake facility did not achieve their goals for reducing inmate-on-inmate violence.

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