Britain is embarking on a significant overhaul of its sentencing and criminal justice system, marking the most substantial changes in a generation to address the pressing issue of prison overcrowding.

Currently, approximately 80,000 individuals are incarcerated in England and Wales, a number that exceeds what is considered safe or humane, highlighting the urgency for reform.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has warned that prisons are nearing capacity, which poses a risk of a breakdown in law and order, impacting police and court operations.

The prison reform aims to reduce the prison population by about 10,000 inmates by 2028; however, critics express concern that releasing dangerous offenders early could jeopardize public safety.

While most proposals from David Gauke's Independent Sentencing Review are expected to be accepted, the government will not allow earned release for the most dangerous offenders.

The 'tough on crime' narrative has historically hindered necessary reforms, despite a consensus among criminal justice professionals that changes are overdue.

Controversially, the government plans to expand the use of chemical castration for certain offender groups in 20 prisons, raising ethical and medical concerns.

The government is also exploring the option of utilizing offenders for community service tasks, such as filling potholes and cleaning up litter, as an alternative to incarceration.

Alternative penalties under consideration include fines, driving bans, and the potential deportation of foreign offenders sentenced to less than three years.

Significant investment in probation services will be essential to manage the increased number of offenders in the community, many of whom will be electronically tagged.

A tiered system of monitoring will be introduced, starting with intensive supervision through electronic ankle bracelets, followed by a phased reduction in monitoring.

The Labour government aims to radically change the prison system based on the review led by former Justice Minister David Gauke, marking the most significant reform since the 1990s.