More than 60,000 criminals have been freed from jail early under Labour's soft justice programme, according to new figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The data shows that 60,108 offenders were released onto the streets in the first 16 months of the scheme, which was launched by then justice secretary Shabana Mahmood. The programme allows criminals to be freed after serving just 40 per cent of their court-imposed sentence.
The early release data covers the period from the scheme's launch in September 2024 to the end of December last year. With releases averaging more than 3,700 per month in the most recent quarter, the true figure is now likely to be around 75,000. The scheme has led to controversial scenes of inmates celebrating outside prison gates, with some vowing to become lifelong Labour voters. However, some freed inmates committed new offences within hours of their release.
The programme was introduced to free up space in jails in England and Wales, with Ms Mahmood claiming the justice system would grind to a halt if nothing was done. Nearly 1,500 serious criminals sentenced to more than a decade in prison have been released early, including 490 who had been handed sentences of 14 years or more and 980 who had been ordered to serve between 10 and 14 years.
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy criticised the government, stating that criminals are being 'let out early as a deliberate political choice by a government too weak to build the prison places the country needs.' He added, 'Still Labour press ahead with plans to abolish jury trials, the cornerstone of British justice. Releasing criminals early and stripping defendants of the right to be judged by their peers, that is Labour's criminal justice record. What the British public wants and expects is more criminals being locked up for longer. Prison works, but Labour are ideologically incapable of getting tough on crime.'
Labour passed new legislation earlier this year introducing permanent changes to sentencing. The Sentencing Act scraps most jail terms of under 12 months and allows most criminals to be freed after serving just 30 per cent of their sentence. Criminals convicted of serious violence or sex offences would be freed after half their term, rather than the current three-quarters point. After introducing the early release scheme, Ms Mahmood was moved to the Home Office, where she is now responsible for policing. The early release scheme is now overseen by David Lammy, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary.
In January, the MoJ published an assessment stating that jails would have run out of space as early as June this year if ministers had not introduced their current policies. Labour's sentencing reforms are expected to slow the projected rise in the prison population by 7,500 by 2028.
