Early release scheme won't work without us, says ex-prisoner

A former prisoner who runs a support network for ex-offenders said government plans to release inmates early would fail to ease prison overcrowding without support from people who had experienced the system themselves.

Jamie Dale, 47, from Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, spent more than 11 years in prison for his involvement in organised crime. He now runs the Old Lags Network, which aims to cut reoffending and bridge the gap between prison and the community.

He said many prisoners "fall through the cracks" after release.

"Most of the people who return quite quickly have not got great family networks," he said.

Dale said involving ex-offenders in developing solutions would "drastically reduce the amount of people being recalled to prison".

"A lot of them can just end up sleeping on the streets," he said.

"You'd be very, very lucky if you got a house or accommodation after leaving prison.

"So when it comes to either sleeping on the streets or having a warm bed and a meal - they choose the warm bed and a meal.

"And if they've got to go and commit a petty crime to do that - that's what they do.

"There are people who will go out on a Tuesday and be back by Wednesday.

"It's effectively their home and it is the saddest thing in the world."

According to the Ministry of Justice, only around 20% of prison recalls are associated with a further offence charge.

Nearly three quarters of recalls are associated with non-compliance with licence conditions, such as failing to keep in touch with probation or failing to reside in approved premises.

Dale said this is where ex-prisoner support networks are able to provide support which probation officers cannot.

"Probation is a great thing," he said. "But it is not always taken up.

"The lads don't engage as well with the support that's already on offer because it's not someone who's been in their position.

"Once the lads know that you've been in their position they're a lot more receptive to the advice you're giving them."

From October, eligible prisoners will be released after a third of their sentences.

It comes after prison governors told the BBC that prisoners who were freed under the early release scheme were returning to jail at a rapid rate.

As of March this year, more than 70,000 people had been released under the 2024 early release scheme.

But as of August, there were almost 87,000 people in prisons across England and Wales - with just over 2,000 spaces remaining.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "This Government inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse and a homelessness crisis, with rough sleeping more than doubling since 2010.

"We know that reoffending rates among homeless offenders are roughly twice those in stable accommodation, which is why we're working with local councils and charities to halve prison leaver homelessness by 2029.

"Our record £700 million investment in probation and community services will help us expand our offer of community accommodation to those at risk of homelessness.

"We are also training prisoners for work and partnering up with hundreds of employers to help prison leavers move straight into jobs, cutting reoffending and helping them rebuild their lives."

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