What happens if prison places run out?

Governors’ association says inmates might have to be released early as jail population grows

Prisoner
(Image credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

The number of people behind bars in England and Wales is expected to increase by nearly 20,000 over the next five years, according to newly published government projections.

The total currently stands at around 79,500 prisoners, after dipping during the pandemic, but the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has predicted that the tally will grow to 98,500 by March 2026.

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