Prime Minister pauses prisoner early release scheme
Victims' Commissioner: Government has rightly halted prisoner early release scheme and must now provide urgent clarity for victims.
The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman OBE, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to pause the proposed prisoner early release scheme pending an urgent review.
The announcement comes a day after the Commissioner welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to review the policy, having repeatedly raised concerns with ministers and officials that the safeguards promised to victims had not yet been fully delivered.
The Commissioner has consistently warned that addressing pressures on prison capacity must not come at the expense of victim safety or public confidence in the justice system.
As part of that work, the Commissioner wrote to both the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor on 22 July setting out concerns about the readiness of the scheme, including arrangements for risk assessment, victim communication, offender supervision and support for victims affected by the reforms.
Commenting on the Government’s decision to pause the scheme, Claire Waxman OBE said:
Pressing ahead without proper safeguards for victims would have been the wrong course of action, and the Government has now recognised that.
Thousands of victims have already been told the offenders who harmed them could be released early, leaving many living with renewed fear and uncertainty.
I am now seeking urgent clarity from ministers about what this decision means for victims, the timetable for what happens next, and how they will be protected and kept informed throughout the process.
Victims deserve certainty, and their safety and confidence must come first.
Further reading
Victims’ Commissioner: “As things stand, I do not have confidence that these releases can be managed in a way that fully safeguards victims, protects the public and maintains confidence in the justice system.”
Published on July 22, 2026
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