Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Prisoners 'to be released early' despite jail plan

By Christopher Hope, Home Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 4:58pm GMT 05/12/2007

The prisons crisis is set to get worse next summer with overcrowding likely to force ministers to free thousands of convicted criminals early, a major Government review has warned.
Lord Carter of Coles' review of the prisons service (pdf) In full: Jack Straw's statement on the Carter report
Judges could also face pressure to take into account prisons overcrowding into account when sentencing. At the end of last month the prison population stood at 81,454
The news came despite Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, announcing an extra 10,500 prison places and plans for three new super-prisons to house Britain's most dangerous prisoners.
A Government-sponsored review by Lord Carter of Coles forecast that by next summer there will be a shortage of 3,000 prison places in England and Wales.

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