Burnham’s review of prison early release scheme is causing chaos, says union | Prisons and probation

Probation officers said Andy Burnham’s pledge to review early release plans had created a “sense of chaos” across the Prison Service.

While people in Whitehall confirmed the prime minister was exploring possible exemptions to the law that would allow criminals to be released, Napo’s probation union said prison authorities “didn’t know” how to respond.

Burnham said on Wednesday he would review the “whole policy” with the new justice secretary, Alex Norris, in preparation for the release of up to 6,000 prisoners in England and Wales from September 2.

According to the proposals, murderers, rapists and sexual offenders would be released into society early and tracked with tags.

The mother of police officer Andrew Harper said Thursday that being considered for early release for two of his killers was “another disappointment” for her son.

Tania Bassett, Napo’s national officer, told the Guardian that the union had asked prison governors whether all preparations for early release across England and Wales would continue, but had received no response.

He said: “The Prime Minister’s announcement that he would review early September release plans has created a sense of chaos in Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.

“Napo has asked HMPPS what the plan is and they don’t know yet. This is really worrying for our members who are currently working hard on pre-release work for what will be released in September. It was already an incredibly short time frame to hit the implementation date.”

“This review could potentially shorten timeframes further and put further pressure on our already overworked members. We call on the Prime Minister to provide clarity as soon as possible.”

According to the union, preparations for release require extensive work from probation staff, usually lasting at least six to eight weeks.

This includes reviewing risk assessments, making referrals for accommodation, carrying out home visits, coordinating with victim liaison officers and domestic abuse support workers, and developing multi-agency safeguarding plans.

Additionally, it may take several weeks to ensure tagging measures are in place before an offender is placed in housing. Established release plans could collapse unless probation staff are given “close and concrete instruction” about who to consider, a union official said.

The review caused chaos in prisons, where administrators were responsible for calculating release dates for several weeks from September 2.

The Sentencing Act 2026 introduces an “earned progression model” in England and Wales, which replaces automatic halfway release with a graduated, behaviour-based system for prisoners serving standard determinate sentences.

This would allow most prisoners to be released after serving one-third of their sentences behind bars, rather than 50 percent, with the remainder of their sentences to be served under strict supervision in the community with the help of electronic tagging.

Prisoners serving time for sexual or violent offenses where the automatic release stage is set at two-thirds will be eligible for release halfway through, provided they have not seriously breached prison rules.

This also applies to two of Harper’s killers, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, who were sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter in 2020. Burnham confirmed the main perpetrator, Henry Long, “will not be subject to any early release” under the plan.

Burnham was asked to stop the early release of all serious criminals.

Mark Fairhurst, national chairman of prison officers union POA, said: “He needs to seriously rethink this policy so that it allows him to keep serious criminals behind bars and exemptions are made to include violent offenders, sex offenders and those convicted of domestic abuse so victims can at least feel a sense of justice.

“We can expand capacity by releasing people convicted of less serious crimes who should not be imprisoned and who need to be supervised in society. But this prime minister must try to win the public over to his side.”

Emma Reynolds, chief secretary to the Treasury, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that she wanted to look at the implementation of Burnham’s early release policy. Asked if that meant it wouldn’t happen, he said: “That’s something he and the justice minister will decide in the coming weeks.”

The Ministry of Justice has been approached for comment.