The Aporia
The Aporia
Lithgow, G. (2026, November 10). Hundreds of prisoners walk free in latest phase of early release scheme. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/government-serco-ministry-of-justice-prison-b1304253.html
Lithgow, George. “Hundreds of prisoners walk free in latest phase of early release scheme.” Evening Standard, 10 Nov. 2026, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/government-serco-ministry-of-justice-prison-b1304253.html.
Lithgow, George. “Hundreds of prisoners walk free in latest phase of early release scheme.” Evening Standard, November 10, 2026. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/government-serco-ministry-of-justice-prison-b1304253.html.
Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.
On November 10, 2026, around 650 prisoners serving sentences between two years and five months and three years and two months were released early from jails in England and Wales as part of the third phase of a government plan to address prison overcrowding. This release marks the latest stage of an ongoing scheme where inmates are being freed after completing only one-third of their sentence, down from the usual half. Since October 1, at least 1,350 offenders have been released early under this program, and by year-end, officials predict that around 2,500 prisoners will have been let out to spend two-thirds of their sentences on probation in the community. The plan involves releasing batches of offenders serving progressively longer sentences, with those serving more than 12 years due for release next June.
The third wave is made up of about 650 prisoners who are serving sentences of more than 882 days (about two years and five months) and fewer than 1,163 days (roughly three years and two months).
Ministers are releasing groups of offenders on increasingly longer sentences as the scheme goes on.
Jamie Dale, an ex-prisoner who helps run the Old Lags Network, which supports ex-prisoners, was giving out food and toiletries to those released.
