A shocking new report has exposed the ongoing plight of thousands of prisoners still serving under the controversial Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, despite the scheme being abolished over a decade ago.
The IPP system, introduced in 2005 and scrapped in 2012, allowed judges to impose indeterminate sentences for certain violent or sexual offences. While intended for serious criminals, critics argue it was applied far too broadly, trapping many in the system indefinitely.
The Human Cost
According to the latest figures, nearly 3,000 individuals remain behind bars under IPP sentences. Even more alarmingly, over 1,300 of these have served well beyond their original minimum terms.
James Timpson, CEO of Timpson Group and noted prison reform advocate, has been particularly vocal about the injustice: "These sentences have created a mental health crisis in our prisons. We're seeing people who've served 10, 15 years for relatively minor offences because they can't prove they're no longer a risk."
Systemic Failures
The report highlights several key failures:
- Inadequate rehabilitation programs making it impossible for IPP prisoners to demonstrate reduced risk
- Massive backlog in parole hearings
- Lack of support for released IPP prisoners leading to high recall rates
Psychologists warn that the uncertainty of not knowing when - or if - they'll be released has caused severe psychological harm to many IPP prisoners.
Calls for Action
Campaigners are demanding urgent government action, including:
- Automatic review of all remaining IPP cases
- Increased funding for rehabilitation programs
- Proper support for those released to prevent recalls
With pressure mounting from reform groups and high-profile figures like Timpson, the government faces growing calls to finally resolve what many consider one of the greatest injustices in modern British legal history.
