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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Early jail release plan expected | Early jail release plan expected |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Non-violent offenders could be let out of jail early in a bid to ease prison overcrowding in England and Wales. | Non-violent offenders could be let out of jail early in a bid to ease prison overcrowding in England and Wales. |
| Lord Falconer, head of the new Ministry of Justice (MoJ), is expected to make an announcement about tackling overcrowding later this week. | |
| A Whitehall source has told the BBC the justice secretary is likely to say some non-violent offenders nearing the end of sentences are to be freed early. | |
| An MoJ spokeswoman would neither confirm nor deny an early release plan. | An MoJ spokeswoman would neither confirm nor deny an early release plan. |
| According to the Times newspaper, "up to 2,000 prisoners serving less than four years" would leave jail early. | According to the Times newspaper, "up to 2,000 prisoners serving less than four years" would leave jail early. |
| They were likely to be "burglars, fraudsters and drug dealers" but not "offenders convicted of violent or sex crimes", it added. | They were likely to be "burglars, fraudsters and drug dealers" but not "offenders convicted of violent or sex crimes", it added. |
| Release conditions | Release conditions |
| Jails in England and Wales are at bursting point - on Monday the prison population was 80,977 - 481 from capacity. | Jails in England and Wales are at bursting point - on Monday the prison population was 80,977 - 481 from capacity. |
| Lord Falconer appeared to rule out an early release plan last month | Lord Falconer appeared to rule out an early release plan last month |
| Just over a month into his new job in charge of the MoJ, Lord Falconer is understood to be working on what some will consider to be a drastic solution. | Just over a month into his new job in charge of the MoJ, Lord Falconer is understood to be working on what some will consider to be a drastic solution. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said Lord Falconer would not be announcing Early Executive Release, under which the home secretary has the right to release prisoners. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said Lord Falconer would not be announcing Early Executive Release, under which the home secretary has the right to release prisoners. |
| Instead, it would be some kind of release scheme for low-risk, non-violent prisoners approaching the end of their sentences, possibly a week or two before they were due to be released, our correspondent added. | Instead, it would be some kind of release scheme for low-risk, non-violent prisoners approaching the end of their sentences, possibly a week or two before they were due to be released, our correspondent added. |
| It would involve some kind of monitoring or release conditions but probably not tagging. | It would involve some kind of monitoring or release conditions but probably not tagging. |
| Details for the scheme, which is believed to have been discussed with Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown, are yet to be finalised. | Details for the scheme, which is believed to have been discussed with Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown, are yet to be finalised. |
| 'Breathing space' | 'Breathing space' |
| Ministers have been loathe to introduce any form of early release, fearing a dent in the public's confidence in the justice system. | Ministers have been loathe to introduce any form of early release, fearing a dent in the public's confidence in the justice system. |
| Lord Falconer appeared to have ruled such a move out last month but the plan now looks likely to go ahead. | Lord Falconer appeared to have ruled such a move out last month but the plan now looks likely to go ahead. |
| The Conservatives say it will threaten public safety and is a direct consequence of ministers' failure to deal with overcrowding. | The Conservatives say it will threaten public safety and is a direct consequence of ministers' failure to deal with overcrowding. |
| But Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said: "Releasing some people, assessed as no risk to the public, will take the heat off overcrowded jails for a while. | But Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said: "Releasing some people, assessed as no risk to the public, will take the heat off overcrowded jails for a while. |
| "Instead of lurching from crisis to crisis, government must use this respite to set out how it will reserve prison for serious and violent offenders." | "Instead of lurching from crisis to crisis, government must use this respite to set out how it will reserve prison for serious and violent offenders." |
| On Monday, the Prison Governors Association said convicts should be set free a week early to stop court and police cells being used to tackle the problem. | On Monday, the Prison Governors Association said convicts should be set free a week early to stop court and police cells being used to tackle the problem. |
| Ministers needed to give the system some "breathing space", it added. | Ministers needed to give the system some "breathing space", it added. |
| General secretary Charles Bushell said some prisoners were now being held in court cells - designed only for defendants waiting to appear in the dock - for almost 48 hours. | General secretary Charles Bushell said some prisoners were now being held in court cells - designed only for defendants waiting to appear in the dock - for almost 48 hours. |