Coaches laid on for 1,750 early release offenders

Prisons are gearing up to transport hundreds of inmates as part of the largest early release initiative in over a decade.

The Prison Governors' Association (PGA) reports that jail administrators, particularly from remote facilities, are planning to arrange bus services to nearby public transport for approximately 1,750 prisoners set to be released under the government's early release scheme on Tuesday. This includes individuals convicted of violent offenses.

Tom Wheatley, president of the PGA, noted, "They are assessing whether transport will be necessary. Many of our prisons are located in rural areas, and train stations can be quite far away." In some open prisons, up to 20 percent of inmates are expected to benefit from this emergency release program, which allows them to leave after serving 40 percent of their sentences instead of the usual 50 percent.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood was compelled to implement the scheme to alleviate overcrowding, as the prison population reached a record high of 88,521 on Friday, exacerbated by an influx of incarcerated rioters. Last month, The Telegraph highlighted that the available space in men's prisons had dwindled to just 86 beds.

Mahmood cautioned that without the early release initiative, the criminal justice system could face a collapse, warning that police would struggle to arrest offenders with prisons at full capacity, potentially leading to increased crime and disorder.

The number of prisoners being released, 1,750, is nearly double the usual weekly figure of around 1,000.