UK Justice Minister David Lammy announces early release scheme for violent offenders

Justice Secretary David Lammy will introduce a statutory early‑release scheme in England and Wales from September. The reform will allow prisoners convicted of serious offences – including rape, manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and other violent crimes – to be considered for release after serving roughly half of their sentence, instead of the current two‑thirds benchmark. The first wave will involve about 700 inmates, with a similar number each month for the next nine months, aiming to free between 5,000 and 7,000 prisoners overall.

The Ministry of Justice says the changes are required to prevent prisons from overflowing and to keep the criminal‑justice system functioning. Safeguards include behavioural assessments, GPS‑tagging, curfews and expanded probation services backed by a £700 million investment. Critics, including the Shadow Justice Secretary, argue the plan puts public safety at risk and betrays victims, warning that killers and rapists could be back on the streets far sooner than expected.