The prime minister has said rapists, child sexual abusers and groomers will be excluded from early release plans designed to ease prison overcrowding, and will delay the wider scheme by a month until October, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Rapists, child sexual abusers and groomers will be excluded from early release plans, according to the Guardian.
- The prime minister will delay the planned early release of thousands of prisoners across England and Wales by a month, until October.
- The change follows what the Guardian describes as a major intervention by Andy Burnham.
- Some prisoners serving sentences for sexual or violent offences will now leave after serving half their sentence.
The prime minister has said that rapists, child sexual abusers and groomers will not leave prison early, in a move to refine plans aimed at easing critical prison overcrowding across England and Wales, the Guardian reports.
According to the Guardian, the exclusion of these offenders from early release plans followed a major intervention by Andy Burnham.
The prime minister said on Tuesday that he would delay the planned early release of thousands of prisoners by a month, pushing the timeline until October.
Despite the tightening of the rules, the Guardian reports that some prisoners serving sentences for sexual or violent offences will now be able to leave after serving half of their sentence.
The measures are intended to address pressure on the prison system while excluding certain categories of serious offenders from early release.
Why it matters
Prison overcrowding has forced difficult decisions about which offenders can be released early to free up capacity. The government's approach seeks to balance those pressures against public safety concerns by excluding the most serious sexual offenders from early release.
Frequently asked questions
Who will be excluded from early release?
According to the Guardian, rapists, child sexual abusers and groomers will be excluded from the early release plans.
When will the early release scheme take effect?
The prime minister said he would delay the planned early release of thousands of prisoners by a month, until October.
Which prisoners could still be released early?
Some prisoners serving sentences for sexual or violent offences will now be able to leave after serving half their sentence.