Andy Burnham has officially suspended a controversial policy that would have permitted thousands of inmates across England and Wales to leave prison ahead of schedule. The decision follows intense backlash from survivors and the families of victims, most notably Lissie Harper, the widow of PC Andrew Harper, who condemned the potential release of his attackers as unacceptable.
Scheduled for a September launch, the Sentencing Act was designed to alleviate extreme prison overcrowding. Under the original proposal, some offenders would have been eligible for release after completing only one-third of their sentence, while serious offenders could have been released after serving half of their time. Justice Secretary Alex Norris noted that the pause is intended to provide victims with much-needed certainty and allow the government to refine the implementation of the policy.
A formal review is now underway to examine how information regarding early releases is communicated to victims. Burnham emphasized that public safety remains the priority and that no prisoners will be released under these specific provisions until the government is confident in its safeguards. While the government faces pressure to address the critical lack of capacity in the prison system, officials have stated they are committed to listening to survivors before moving forward with any release mechanisms.
