Fact check: Early prison release to exclude serious violent and sexual offenders

A widely shared online post has claimed that the Government is “releasing violent criminals, murderers and rapists early”.

Another social media post suggested people “who were convicted of manslaughter, knife crime, robbery and sex crimes” would be released early.

Evaluation

The Government has said that people convicted of sex offences and “serious violent offences (resulting in sentences) of four years or more” will be among those automatically excluded from a scheme which will release inmates earlier in order to free up some prison capacity.

The facts

On July 12, the Ministry of Justice revealed there were “only hundreds of places left in the adult male (prison) estate”.

In an attempt to create more space in jails for the newly convicted, the Government said it would “temporarily” reduce the proportion of some sentences served in prison.

Under the scheme, the minimum time served for some less serious offences will drop from 50% of the custodial sentence to 40%, with safeguards and exemptions to keep the public safe.

The Government said: “Sentences for serious violent offences of four years or more, as well as sex offences will be automatically excluded.”

It added: “The early release of offenders in prison for domestic abuse-connected crimes will also be excluded.”

Links

Post on X (archived)

Second post on X (archived)

Gov.uk – Lord Chancellor sets out immediate action to defuse ticking prison ‘time-bomb’ (archived)

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