From September 2024 to June 2026, 79,274 inmates were released early under emergency measures (SDS40), reducing sentence portions from 50% to 40% for some prisoners, with a permanent early-release scheme starting on 1 October under the Sentencing Act 2026.

Officials say the rise in recalls is likely linked to policy changes that allow offenders to be recalled multiple times within a sentence, including recalls of 56 days before release rather than waiting until the end of the term.

MoJ data shows offenders released from jail or given other punishments committed more than 138,400 fresh crimes in the same three-month period, averaging 5.29 offences per offender and a reoffending rate of 30.1%, the highest on record.

The article relies on UK Ministry of Justice data and includes commentary on policy reform timelines and safety concerns.

A separate dataset shows an uptick in serious offenders on probation charged with serious further offences for the third year running, with 119 sexual offenders, 128 murderers, and four terrorists among 281 offenders charged.

Howard League for Penal Reform criticized the high recall rate and urged a long-term solution to overcrowding, warning recalls worsen prison conditions.

Separately, data shows a record high of 281 serious offenders on probation charged with a new serious crime, underscoring safety concerns.

In January–March, recalls (13,193) slightly exceeded releases (12,977), continuing a trend of recalls outpacing releases in recent quarters.

Politically, Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy accused Labour of increasing reoffending and called for more prison places, while the Conservatives tout plans for 50,000 new prison places; controversy over transparency includes claims the MoJ will not publish how many are actually freed under the latest programme.

Over the year to September 2026, 360 prisoners died in custody (66 related to self-harm); over the year to June 2026, 68,231 self-harm incidents were recorded in prisons, roughly one every eight minutes, with declines of 12% in men's prisons and 3.8% in women's prisons.

The new scheme will be rolled out further, expanding eligibility to up to 39 months and ultimately to longer sentences, with final expansion applying to those with 12 years or more.

The government argues decisive action is being taken to prevent prison-system collapse and protect the public amid criticisms of early releases.