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The Independent has disclosed that the government is discreetly implementing an extension to the emergency program, which has been greatly expanded this week due to a severe lack of prison space, allowing women to be released from incarceration before their full sentence is served.
The Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, declared in October that prisoners would be granted early release, up to 18 days before their scheduled release, in an effort to alleviate overcrowding in prisons. Originally, this was believed to only apply to male prisons, but on Monday, Chalk expanded this to include both male and female prisons due to the urgent need for additional space.
According to a confidential document obtained by this publication, it appears that women are being released ahead of schedule through the End of Custody Supervised Licence program. Despite repeated requests, government officials have declined to disclose the exact number of individuals who have been granted early release since October.
Unfortunately, it seems that women are only qualified for an early release of up to 18 days – despite the fact that there have been warnings about men convicted of domestic abuse and other crimes being released up to 60 days early.
The government stated in response to a request for comment that it does not discriminate based on gender when it comes to releasing prisoners.
Shabana Mahmood, the shadow justice secretary for the Labour party, expressed her disbelief at the Conservative party’s decision to conceal significant modifications to the justice system.
Can you clarify what types of prisoners will be released and when, especially considering the urgency of the situation? It shouldn’t be necessary for the public to rely on leaked information to uncover the truth.
“After fourteen years of Conservative leadership, prisons and the criminal justice system have deteriorated, leaving victims feeling extremely disappointed. If elected, a Labour government would prioritize constructing new prisons to alleviate the capacity crisis and fulfill our goal of ensuring safety on the streets of Britain.”
The governor of an undisclosed women’s prison has released a leaked guidance to officers, which mentions a recent rise in the prison’s population.
“We do not have the same range of options as the male estate has – for example we would not hold women overnight in a police cell which has been done in some circumstances in the male estate when places are low and our open estate does not operate in the same way.
Hence, it is necessary to implement a provisional measure known as the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL). This will allow for the early release of certain lower-risk female offenders on a limited license, up to 18 days before their scheduled Automatic Release Date.
Ian Lawrence, the leader of probation organization Napo, expressed his understanding that there are three women’s prisons involved in the program. He also voiced concerns about gender equality, as women may only be eligible for early release 18 days prior to their sentence completion while men could be released up to 60 days early.
According to Mr Lawrence, we are not fundamentally against it as long as it is handled appropriately. In that case, women should be treated with full and equal rights.
Given the current crisis in probation and reports of officers managing twice as many cases as recommended, Mr. Lawrence expressed concerns that the rushed implementation of this change may put the safety of our members at risk.
He inquired about the availability of accommodations and the accessibility of relevant agencies for meeting the needs of the released individual.
The confidential report proposes that, like the program for early release of male inmates, prisoners with sentences for sexual offences, terrorism, or violent crimes lasting more than four years will be automatically excluded. This also applies to those whose cases are being decided by the Parole Board.
The frequency of self-injury cases in prisons for women has reached its peak level to date.
According to the guidelines, all eligible women cannot be excluded, but the governor has the option to refer the decision to a central panel if releasing them early is considered a potential danger to their physical or mental well-being.
It is mentioned: “This could be unsettling for female inmates who may feel more secure in prison than in their own homes. It is crucial that we offer them comprehensive support, thoroughly explain the program to those who are eligible, and address any concerns that may arise.”
As of 8 March, there was a population of 3,651 incarcerated women, an increase of over 500 since January 2023. This is in contrast with the government’s promise to decrease the number of women in prison.
For years, professionals have urged for prisons to stop serving as a “safe haven” for women, solely because there is no appropriate support available in the community. This is problematic because prison staff are often not equipped to assist individuals experiencing mental health crises, and the process of transferring someone to a secure mental health facility can take several months.
The frequency of violence and self-harm in women’s prisons has surpassed that of men’s prisons, reaching an unprecedented level. Assaults have tripled in the past 10 years, and instances of self-harm have risen by 38%, with a new record of 5,988 incidents per 1,000 prisoners. This is a striking difference compared to men’s prisons, where the rate is only one-tenth of that in women’s prisons.
According to the Prison Reform Trust, approximately 60% of women who were incarcerated in 2022 received a sentence of less than six months. Of those, 80% were incarcerated for non-violent offenses. Data from the Ministry of Justice indicates that nearly half of all female prisoners admitted committing their crime in order to aid someone else’s drug use.
“The Ministry of Justice representative stated that, despite our efforts to increase the number of prisons being built and to deport more foreign criminals, the prison system continues to face challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent strike by barristers.”
“Aside from increasing sentences for the worst offenders, we are also prolonging the amount of time that lower-level offenders are under supervised release. Additionally, we are implementing changes to ensure that probation personnel have the resources to provide effective supervision for community-based offenders.”
Source: independent.co.uk
