A damning independent review by former prisons watchdog Dame Anne Owers has revealed that the UK prison system came close to total collapse on three separate occasions within a 12-month period. The report, which criticises successive governments, found that between autumn 2023 and summer 2024, ministers repeatedly failed to address the growing crisis, leading experts to question whether inaction was a political choice.
Senior civil servants, fearing a complete breakdown of the criminal justice system, kept meticulous records of key decisions in case of a future public or parliamentary inquiry. The system is currently running at nearly 97.5% capacity, with fresh pressure expected this weekend due to large-scale protests.
To alleviate overcrowding, the government began releasing prisoners 18 days early in October 2023, later extended to 35 and then 70 days. After taking office last year, Labour announced even earlier releases for prisoners who have served 40% of their sentence. Despite these measures, the system remains under severe strain.
Nick Hardwick, former chief inspector of prisons and current chair of Nacro, explained that prisons serve four purposes: incapacitation, deterrence, rehabilitation, and punishment. However, he argued that the system is failing on all fronts. 'You can incapacitate people when they’re in prison, but most people are going to come out again, and you have to hope they don’t come out worse,' Hardwick said. 'There’s no evidence to support the idea that giving people longer sentences works as a deterrent.'
The review criticises a 'salami-slicing approach' to the crisis, with politicians tinkering at the edges rather than addressing core problems. Hardwick noted that the crisis was entirely predictable, having warned students as early as 2021. The political appetite for punishment, he said, is a key driver of the problem, with both left and right-leaning media fuelling public anger and demands for harsher sentences.
