Victims 'having sleepless nights' ahead of early prison release scheme, says domestic abuse commissioner
9 September 2024, 00:23
Domestic abuse victims are having 'sleepless nights' ahead of the Government's temporary early release scheme in prisons, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner has said.
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Nicole Jacobs also suggested some victims may not be aware of the situation and could be "put in danger" as a result of the plan, which is set to begin on Tuesday.
In July, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to cut the proportion of sentences inmates must serve behind bars from 50% to 40% in a bid to ease overcrowding.
Read More: Lord Chancellor to set out plan to prevent prisons disaster and save criminal justice from collapse
The prison population reached a new record high of 88,521 people on Friday, and has risen by more than 1,000 people over the past four weeks.
There are exemptions from the scheme, including for domestic abusers, but newspapers have reported some domestic violence-related crimes are not always reported as such, leading to concerns these prisoners could be eligible for early release.
Ms Jacobs told the Sunday Times: "There will be so many people in the prison estate in their background or history that will be perpetrators of domestic abusers and they will be released unless they meet the criteria exclusions, so it isn't perfect.
"There's no doubt the government has done their best to mitigate these risks but it's very obvious the risk is still there and particularly for domestic abuse, in my view.
She continued: "We must ensure that victims aren't lost in the shuffle of the changes that are being made in the prison release schemes and the perception of justice and fairness.
"Victims of domestic abuse are very focused on those release dates, it causes them sleepless nights, they will change so much of their daily activities knowing that their perpetrator is being released, the uncertainty of not knowing if that person will comply with licensing conditions and of release.
"This is incredibly stressful in the normal situation so for those dates to change unexpectedly or without them knowing that is a huge consequence for them to pay."
Ms Jacobs said many victims whose abusers were due to be released would not be eligible for victim notifications schemes and therefore might not know about their early release.
She added: "There are all sorts of reasons why victims, and particularly victims of domestic abuse, will be worried about what the arrangements are, and of course the most concern I have is people who are wholly unaware and will be very surprised and maybe put in danger because someone is being released early and aren't aware that that was happening."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insisted on Saturday there were "safeguards in place" in relation to high-risk prisoners, including those convicted of domestic violence-related offences.
Pressed on the matter during his visit to Dublin, he added: "We are doing everything we can to make sure that high-risk and domestic abusers, domestic violence cases are not released."
Along with the early release scheme, the Government plans to recruit 1,000 new trainee probation officers by March 2025 to meet additional demand.
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to promise that domestic abusers will not be released early from prison under emergency measures to combat overcrowding.
After being asked about the release schemes, the Prime Minister said ministers are "doing everything" to ensure domestic abusers are not released early but stopped short of confirming that they will not.
Speaking to broadcasters in Dublin, Sir Keir was discussing reports that there was a loophole in the early release scheme which could see domestic abusers released early.
Read More: Under 100 spaces left in men's prisons in England and Wales
Reports claimed on Saturday that those who had been violent towards partner and been convicted of offences such as common assault could not be flagged as domestic abusers and prevented from being released early.
He said: "Let me start with how frustrated I am to be in this position. The last government didn't build enough prisons and they are now full to bursting.
"If we don't do something they will burst and we won't be able to put anybody new into prison and the criminal justice system will collapse. So I am forced into this. I do not want to be in this position."
Sir Keir insisted there were "safeguards in place" in relation to high-risk prisoners, including those convicted of domestic violence-related offences.
Pressed on the matter, he added: "We are doing everything we can to make sure that high-risk and domestic abusers, domestic violence cases are not released."
After adding that the "broken" prison system was an "utter failure of the last government", Sir Keir said: "I am going to roll up my sleeves and fix it now."
The intervention comes as former justice secretary Alex Chalk said the justice system should not be locking up "everyone we're cross with" as longer custodial sentences are "enormously expensive".
The prison population reached a new record high of 88,521 people earlier this week, with the Government's temporary early release scheme due to come into effect on Tuesday.
Mr Chalk told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The fact is there are some people who deserve very long sentences. We think of the Wayne Couzens, Sarah Everard case, Levi Bellfield and so on.
"But the fact is that overall sentences in Britain, in England and Wales anyway, are far, far longer than elsewhere in Europe. That is enormously expensive and the critical point is it doesn't necessarily protect the public.
"So, my strong view is that we should be locking up, including, sometimes for longer, those that we're most scared of, but not necessarily everyone we're cross with."
Mr Chalk said it cost around £50,000 a year to keep a person in prison, with the capital cost of each new place around £600,000.
He said he thought the Government was right to be having a sentencing review, adding: "Let's try to take the politics out of this and ensure that there is always the supply available to meet demand."
