In the 12 months ending June
The worrying trend continued in the first half of the year. More inmates were sent back to prison than were freed in England and Wales. This runs counter to the government’s pledge to reduce the prison population.
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In the 12 months ending June, a total of 52,716 prisoners were recalled after breaching licence conditions. That represents a 27 % rise on the previous year. The high recall rate is a key driver of the capacity crisis and helped spark early‑release schemes introduced earlier this month.
The MoJ also reported that 79,274 inmates were released early between September 2024 and June 2026 under emergency measures. The scheme, known as SDS40, cut the required portion of the sentence from 50 % to 40 %. Officials said SDS40 is one of several policy changes that likely increased recalls. Emergency measures will be replaced by a permanent early‑release scheme from 1 October under the 2026 Sentencing Act.
The MoJ stressed that it is essential
The Howard League for Penal Reform warned that „the alarming pace of recalls makes a serious problem even worse.” It urged the government to find a „sustainable solution” to overcrowding. Rob Preece, head of communications at the League, said, „The prison system is under enormous pressure, with chronic overcrowding, staff shortages and abysmal conditions, making effective rehabilitation almost impossible. Longer sentences have led us to this crisis.”
The MoJ stressed that „it is essential that those who breach licence conditions are returned to prison.” It added that the rise in recalls under SDS40 was also driven by a policy that places most offenders back in custody for a fixed 56‑day period before release, rather than keeping them incarcerated until the end of their sentence.
Self‑harm and violence incidents remained high as pressure on prisons grew. Safety statistics show 360 deaths in prisons over the 12 months to September 2026, including 66 recorded as self‑inflicted. In June 2026, prisons logged 68,231 self‑harm incidents – roughly one every eight minutes. Self‑harm fell 12 % in male prisons and 3.8 % in female prisons.
Another data set showed a third consecutive year of increase in serious re‑offences by high‑risk offenders under supervision, reaching a record. Of the 281 serious re‑offenders, 119 were registered sexual offenders, 128 were murderers, and four were classified as terrorists or terrorism risks, according to multi‑agency public protection arrangements.
