British prison crisis

Britain releases 1,700 prisoners early

Today, 1,700 prisoners are released early from British prisons, the BBC reports. It is part of a plan to free up 5,500 beds to relieve the country's overcrowded institutions.

The Labor government said this summer that it planned to lower the limit for early release from 40 percent of the sentence to 50 percent. It applies to prison sentences under five years and certain crimes are exempt. However, the plans to free up more prison places were already drawn up by the previous Tory government.

In October, another 2,000 prisoners will be released early when those sentenced to five years in prison are also counted.

Last week, 85,000 people were in British prisons, which is a new record for the number of inmates.

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Concerns: Women and children have to pay for releases

Women and children risk having to pay the price when several thousand prisoners are to be released early in the UK. That worries a women's rights group, writes the BBC.

"The early release plan relies on an already overburdened parole system," says Isabelle Younane at Women's Aid.

Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of UK prisons, says his main concern is the sharp increase in homelessness as many inmates may have nowhere to sleep when they are released.

Taylor also shares Younane's concern that parolees cannot be received by parole officers. There is therefore a great risk that released inmates without stable housing will start committing crimes again and that there will be revolving doors to the prisons.