The government must urgently publish its modelling for prisoner
early release, Labour says, as it was revealed that official
projections have been delayed by four months.
After the Conservatives announced that the prison capacity crisis
is so bad, they will release criminals back onto the streets
early, the Shadow Prisons Minister has demanded that ministers
“come clean with the public”.
Labour is calling on the Justice Secretary to release the
government’s modelling of how the prison population would be
impacted by their recent changes to the criminal justice system.
The party argues that the impact of these changes should have
been part of the government’s decision-making process to ensure
public safety is at the centre of any policy proposal.
Without publishing the projected impact of these changes, public
confidence in the criminal justice system could be undermined,
sparking fears that further criminals may be set free early under
the Conservatives.
, Labour’s Shadow Prisons
Minister, said:
“No delay of publication can hide the fact that the Tories have
completely botched the management of the prison estate over 13
years.
“The Conservatives must come clean with the public about whether
there will be enough prison places to hold criminals in the
future – keeping them off the streets and behind bars where they
belong.
“No more hiding and no more delay. The public deserves the truth.
Failure to publish it will further undermine confidence in the
already-blighted criminal justice system.”
Ends
Notes:
The government confirms that prison population projections are
delayed until February 2024:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/prison-population-projections-2023-to-2028
