Ministers are facing rising fury over plans to let killers, grooming gang rapists and paedophiles out of prison early. Some of the country's most dangerous predators could be released after serving just 33% of their sentence behind bars, prompting concern among victims.
Probation Service Concerns
Lawyers are concerned about how the probation service will cope with up to 6,000 prisoners being released from September, the Daily Express understands. A spokesperson for campaign group Justice For Victims said: "Victims and the public deserve to know how many offenders are being released early and what crimes they have committed. The Government should be upfront about the scale of this and explain what checks are being carried out before people are released."
The spokesperson added: "Many victims already feel that the sentences handed down do not properly reflect the harm done to them. Cutting those sentences further will only add to the sense that the justice system does not understand the impact these crimes have on victims' lives. No victim or their family should be left to find out through a letter that the person who harmed them or their loved one could be released earlier than they were told. They deserve honesty, respect and protection."
Legal Experts Warn of Risks
A senior lawyer told the Daily Express: "These early release provisions may well ease the pressure on prisons, but at what cost? When it comes to crime and punishment, Labour isn't working, not for law-abiding hard-working families, but softer early release provisions are a gift to a repeat offender, especially those hooked on sexual violence."
The lawyer continued: "Ask any victim of violent crime if they are happy for the offender to be free to roam on the streets, however far from where they live, knowing they could run into a cousin, a school friend, or anyone as vulnerable as them, or would they like them locked up in an overcrowded prison. Of course, they would prefer a convict in a prison, however overcrowded – that's what you get the public to expect when a Government yells about victim-focused justice, which means a pound of flesh and retribution in their minds. The last thing on the minds of a traumatised victim is the need for rehabilitation courses on early release."
Statistics on Offenders Affected
Under Labour's proposals, more than 90% of offenders sent to prison for child grooming and more than 60% sent to prison for rape every year will be allowed out early. Killers and rapists will be let out of prison early, while 43,000 criminals will avoid jail altogether. Many will be released after serving just a third of their jail term. Those sentenced to four years or more will only be let out after serving 50% of their sentence behind bars.
Criminals handed sentences shorter than 18 months will be the first to be freed this September. Releases will then ramp up month by month. Offenders handed more than 12 years in jail – some of the most dangerous criminals in the country – will start to be freed next June.
Political Reaction
Tory spokesman Dr Kieran Mullan said: "Victims are going to feel like justice has been stolen from them by these plans. We aren't talking about shoplifters or vandals. We are talking about paedophiles, rapists and seriously violent criminals. Seeing them walk out of prison years early will horrify most victims and the public as well. The whole programme needs to be stopped."
Dr Mullan added: "Labour want to talk tough on violence against women and girls and grooming gangs. The reality? They are letting criminals responsible for some of the worst sexual attacks on women and girls out of prison early. Imagine condemning grooming gang perpetrators as some of the worst offenders, but then letting the perpetrators out potentially years early. It's disgraceful."
Government Response
The Ministry of Justice said: "This Government inherited a prison system in crisis and we are fixing it – building 14,000 more prison places and reforming sentencing so we can always lock up dangerous criminals. Without this decisive action, prisons would have run out of space entirely, making it impossible for convicted offenders to be sent to prison and risking the complete breakdown of the criminal justice system, putting the public at untold risk."
