First prisoners released in a UK government plan to prevent prison system collapse

Around 1,700 prisoners in England and Wales will be released today as the government attempts to relieve pressure on a prison estate it says is “on the point of collapse”. The new scheme allows some offenders to leave prison after serving 40 per cent of their sentence for specific offences, rather than the 50 per cent required under previous guidelines. The Ministry of Justice says about 5,500 people in total will leave prison early over the next two months. It has pledged that serious violent offenders, terrorists and domestic abuse perpetrators won’t be released, but concerns have been raised about a potential loophole allowing domestic abuse offenders to go free if they were convicted under broader offences. Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said the government has been trying to ensure that does not happen, but a senior government source told the Times “a high proportion” of those released will be domestic abusers.