Nacro report urges reform of prison recall system to ease capacity crisis

A new report by the criminal justice charity Nacro, titled ‘The Rise of Recalls’, warns that the current scale of prison recalls is unsustainable and is exacerbating the prison capacity crisis. The report highlights that since 2016/17, recalls have increased by 136%, even as the number of people being released has fallen by over a fifth.

Data shows that in 2025/26, nine out of every ten prison beds freed by releases were filled by individuals recalled to custody. Approximately £750 million is spent annually on recalls, with £590 million of that directed toward individuals not facing new criminal charges. Currently, around 9,900 prisoners are in custody due to recalls for reasons other than new offenses, such as failing to reside at a specified address or missing probation meetings.

Nacro chief executive Enver Solomon has urged the government to overhaul the system to prevent a ‘revolving door of custody’. The charity argues that without addressing the root causes of breaches—such as homelessness and lack of support—prison spaces freed by earlier releases will simply be occupied by those recalled for minor license violations.