New analysis reveals the UK government’s intervention prevented a prison system collapse by summer. Projections show without the Sentencing Act, which received Royal Assent in January 2026, prisons would have run out of space by June. The government claims its sentencing reforms and largest jail expansion since the Victorian era will end the crisis. The plan includes 14,000 new prison places by 2031, with 2,900 already built. An annual prison capacity statement highlights the need for sustained action, as demand for spaces would exceed supply by March 2026 without further measures. The Sentencing Act mandates transparency and includes reforms to probation funding, recall systems, and sentencing practices to prioritize public safety.
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Summary adapted from content licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
For details, see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/.
Original source: https://www.gov.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-action-to-avert-summer-prison-disaster
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