Under 100 spaces left in men's prisons in England and Wales
28 August 2024, 05:24 | Updated: 28 August 2024, 05:32
It's understood there are fewer than 100 spaces left in men's prisons across England and Wales.
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The system is under greater pressure after recent unrest in the last month.
Magistrates have already been told to delay sentencing of some criminals.
Tom Wheatley, President of the Prison Governors Association, told LBC we've become addicted as a society to imprisonment to deal with anti-social behaviour and crime.
Latest figures released by the Ministry of Justice on Friday, 23 August put the current population of the male prison estate in England and Wales at 84,596.
The female figure stands at 3,638 - the highest total end of week number since weekly data was first published in 2011.
The current operational capacity of the prison system is 89,383 people, covering both the male and female estate.
Earlier this year, Labour set out new legislation to reduce the amount of time inmates spend in jail before they are automatically released - from 50% of their sentence down to 40%.
The legislation - which does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences - is expected to result in the release of 5,500 offenders in September and October.
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