Prisoners celebrate early release but some victims not told

More than 1,700 prisoners person been released aboriginal successful England and Wales arsenic portion of a authorities strategy to easiness overcrowding successful prisons.

One freed captive said conditions successful situation cells were "terrible," with inmates exposed to "loads of violence".

But not each victims of transgression were made alert of their offenders' aboriginal merchandise date, the victims' commissioner for England and Wales said, informing that immoderate victims whitethorn not person had the accidental to question "protective measures".

The authorities said offenders jailed for convulsive offences with sentences of astatine slightest 4 years, enactment offenders and home abusers were not eligible for aboriginal release.

Victims' Commissioner Baroness Newlove said she was "concerned astir the interaction of these aboriginal releases connected victims' assurance successful our justness system".

She said that from the opening of the scheme, she had sought assurances that each "impacted victims" would beryllium informed of immoderate aboriginal merchandise dates, affording them the accidental to petition protective measures.

“I recognize this has not been imaginable successful each case, leaving immoderate victims unaware of their offender’s aboriginal release,” she said successful a statement.

“While I recognise the challenges successful reaching definite groups of victims, this is regrettable and indispensable beryllium addressed.”

Among those released connected Tuesday was John Price, a 34-year-old who told the BBC helium had been released 4 days aboriginal from a six-and-a-half period condemnation for existent bodily harm successful HMP Nottingham.

Price said accommodation had been arranged for him and helium was hoping to spell backmost to work.

"I would’ve happily stayed determination for the remainder of the clip if I had to," helium said, but said conditions successful the situation were “terrible… there’s loads of violence".

Shadow enactment and pensions caput Mel Stride told BBC Breakfast determination was superior nationalist interest astir the scheme. He said immoderate victims "who person suffered astatine the hands of these individuals person not been told they are being fto retired early".

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the aforesaid programme that victims had been informed “where it's applicable to them”.

Under the merchandise scheme, announced successful July, offenders successful jails successful England and Wales serving sentences of less than 5 years volition beryllium released connected licence into the assemblage aft having served 40% of their sentences, alternatively of 50%.

Being released connected licence means that offenders indispensable adhere to restrictions for the remainder of their sentence, including curfews and tagging, and volition beryllium supervised by probation officers.

Another offender, released from HMP Wormwood Scrubs aft serving 19 months of a three-and-a-half twelvemonth condemnation for drugs offences, said the aboriginal merchandise strategy had been bully for his household but added: "I don’t cognize if I hold with everybody being released aboriginal - particularly for much superior crimes."

The aboriginal merchandise strategy was triggered by the incoming Labour authorities days aft the wide election, but officials had already been drafting it up erstwhile the Conservatives were successful power.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said the authorities had inherited "a justness strategy connected the verge of collapse".

“We person been forced into taking hard but indispensable action, with safeguards successful place, truthful we tin support locking up offenders and support the public."

Those released nether the strategy volition beryllium taxable to "full probation supervision", which volition see "tough restrictions" successful galore cases, the MoJ said.