In a controversial move, the Ministry of Justice is developing a multi-million pound scheme to transfer hundreds of female criminals out of prison, primarily to create space for a growing number of male offenders. The plans were accidentally revealed when internal documents were mistakenly sent to Conservative frontbencher Robert Jenrick.
The Leaked Proposals and Their Staggering Costs
According to the leaked email from a senior civil servant, the initial scheme would require £68 million in upfront costs, followed by an ongoing annual expenditure of £47 million. The objective is to 'divert' women away from custodial sentences.
A second, even more expensive proposal would see female offenders placed in specialised residential centres instead of traditional jails. The cost for this alternative is estimated at between £60,000 and £100,000 per person annually. This stands in stark contrast to the average cost of a standard prison place, which the MoJ's own figures put at £37,000 per year.
The internal memo, seen by the Daily Mail, revealed a somewhat uncertain planning process, with an official describing the need for a "'finger in the air' approach" to estimate the number of women who could be accommodated in the community. The email questioned whether eligibility should be based on offence type or risk level.
A Political Storm and the Prison Overcrowding Crisis
The bungled email disclosure has ignited a political firestorm. A Tory source criticised the plan, stating, "Only this Labour Government would consider a scheme for criminals to avoid prison and somehow force taxpayers to pay an even bigger bill."
These measures are a direct response to a severe prison overcrowding crisis. The Labour government has already initiated an early release scheme, which has seen more than 38,000 criminals freed from jail after serving only 40% of their sentence, a reduction from the previous 50%.
The new proposals are explicitly designed to free up space in women's prisons so they can be redesignated for male offenders. While Labour has stated its ambition to reduce the female prison population, it maintains that the most serious offenders will still receive custodial sentences.
An MoJ spokesman declined to comment on the leak but reiterated the government's position, saying, "The Government has been clear the prison system it inherited is not working leading to more crime, not less, which is why we continue to explore more options to rehabilitate female offenders in the community."
