Police face £480m bill for monitoring prisoners released early

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) estimates that the 43 forces will need to devote the equivalent of £480 million in police time to dealing with offenders who breach their licence conditions or commit further offences after being released.

The warning comes as around 4,500 prisoners are due to be released early under the Government’s plans to ease pressure on overcrowded jails. The releases are due to begin on 1 October and will take place in monthly tranches over the following ten months.

Jason Hogg, chief constable of Thames Valley Police, told the Telegraph that the additional demand could force forces to divert officers from dealing with crimes being committed now.

“We’ve got difficult decisions in the coming months about having to move resources from responding to and investigating crimes that are committed today to, if you like, monitor and deal with breaches of those who are released from custody early,” he said.

Probation officers will have primary responsibility for supervising offenders released into the community, but police are responsible for responding to breaches and reoffending and can be required to return offenders to prison.

Breaches can include failing to attend appointments, failing to live at an approved address or entering exclusion zones imposed to protect victims.

Mr Hogg said the NPCC’s assessment was that £480 million worth of police time was likely to be required to deal with licence breaches and additional crimes committed by people released early. “We haven’t been given any additional funding for that,” he said.

He warned that some offenders could breach their licence conditions very shortly after being released. “Some offenders will, within a day of being released, breach those conditions,” he said. Mr Hogg also warned that police were already facing exceptionally high demand, with 999 calls at record levels.

He said he expected the additional releases to create more crime but believed the greater burden on police would come from dealing with licence breaches.

The Government has said the early release measures are necessary to prevent the prison system running out of space. The scheme will see prisoners serving standard determinate sentences released earlier than under the previous arrangements, although ministers have subsequently excluded a number of offences from the changes following a review and widespread campaigning.

The Government has also promised increased electronic monitoring and tighter licence conditions for offenders released into the community. These include curfews, exclusion zones and restrictions on activities such as driving or attending particular venues.

Mr Hogg said police chiefs were also clear that offenders who breach their licence conditions should be recalled to prison quickly. “There needs to be that strong deterrent for those being released early,” he said. But he warned that there must be sufficient prison capacity to accommodate offenders who are recalled. “The problem is that there needs to be space back in the prison stage for them to go to.”

Mr Hogg said the wider criminal justice system was already under significant pressure, with court delays and prison capacity problems undermining the deterrent effect of criminal justice. “I worry it’s simply not quick enough. We do need a system where there’s a deterrent effect, and there are swift and firm consequences for those who break the law.”