Police 'incredibly concerned' by early prison release

Sussex Police's Chief Constable has said she is "incredibly concerned" about the government's revised early prison release scheme - and the message it sends to offenders.

Jo Shiner added that it was "less than satisfactory" that the force had to manage it with no additional funding.

About 700 eligible offenders will leave English and Welsh jails on 1 October under proposals to reduce overcrowding - with less than 30 of those set to be released locally, confirmed Assistant Chief Constable Rosie Ross on Thursday.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ): "As these necessary reforms are rolled out, police forces will have the support and resources needed to protect the public and keep our streets safe."

Changes have been made to the scheme by Prime Minister Andy Burnham who excluded 71 offences from eligibility including all forms of manslaughter and various sexual offences.

Some 4,500 prisoners will be released throughout October, although the exact figures for the second tranche on 13 October are not yet known.

Speaking at Thursday's performance and accountability meeting with Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, Chief Constable Shiner said the force was "trying really, really hard to protect communities" but that "offenders now know there is less chance of them now going to prison as a result of these prison spaces and of this programme".

"As a Chief Constable, I'm incredibly concerned by this; not just the funding, but also the message it sends," she added.

ACC Ross told the meeting that the national cost of this scheme to police forces was expected to be around £450m.

The lack of extra funding meant it was "really critical that we understand the wider impact on the service to the public", she added.

The force is anticipating an increased amount of recall arrests and electronic monitoring breaches as a result of this scheme, she added, with these to be managed using "existing resources".

An MoJ spokesperson added: "We inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse and are pulling every lever available to fix it.

"Our record £700 million investment in 2028-29 probation and community services is ensuring staff have the resources, powers and technology they need to manage offenders safely in the community."

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