Prison officials urging inmates to apply for early release

By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor Published: 7:30AM GMT 01 March 2010

Prisoners are being reminded they could be authorised for Home Detention Curfew usually days after Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, finished an additional early recover intrigue that usually saw inmates expelled eighteen days in advance.

In a offer farce, the Ministry of Justice has created to all prisoners expressing it"s magnetism that the second recover intrigue has finished and that criminals might be "disappointed" if they were anticipating to be let out early.

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It is the same minute in that officials discuss it prisoners they could instead be authorised for HDC.

The Tories last night indicted Mr Straw of a "cynical and prejudiced ploy" that equates to convicted criminals will still be expelled early, usually underneath a opposite name.

Home Detention Curfew allows prisoners to be let out up to 135 days in allege of their recover date - routinely the half approach point of their judgment - during that time they are theme to curfews and have to wear an electronic tag.

Anyone portion in between 3 months and 4 years is authorised solely those convicted of assault or sex offences and up to 2,500 offenders are on the intrigue at any one time.

Almost 160,000 prisoners have been expelled underneath HDC given it began in 1999 and around one in twenty go on to dedicate offer offences.

But a inform out this week claims scapping the early recover intrigue will means British prisons to be full be the summer.

Max Chambers, of the Policy Exchange think-tank at the back of the investigate said: "Our research shows the Government cannot hindrance early expelled but fast causing a prison"s crisis."

Last week Mr Straw voiced an finish to the argumentative End of Custody Licence (ECL) programme that he introduced in 2007 as an puncture magnitude to ease overcrowding in jails.

Under that programme prisoners were let out up to eighteen days in allege of their normal recover date and roughly 80,000 prisoners took value of it.

Mr Straw certified it was "inherently unsuitable and potentially deleterious to open certainty in justice". But in contrariety those utilizing HDC will get out up to 4 and half months early.

In a minute to prisoners informing them of the finish of ECL, the MoJ said: "We assimilate this headlines might come as a beating if you were anticipating to be expelled on ECL."

It adds: "If you still have sufficient time on your judgment to offer at slightest fourteen days on HDC and finish the required risk assessments you might be deliberate for HDC."

Dominic Grieve, the shade Justice Secretary, said: "This minute to prisoners cancelling early release, but advising they request for home apprehension shows that Jack Straws proclamation was all about politics, at the responsibility of the open interest.

"Prisoners will still be expelled early usually underneath a opposite procedure. This is a asocial and prejudiced ploy from a unfortunate government."

Simon Reed, vice-chairman of the Police Federation, said: "What a justice imposes bears no propinquity to what people essentially serve. There is perfect disappointment between the open and police."

Maria Eagle, the prisons minister, pronounced Mr Grieve had upheld the prolongation of HDC in 2003, adding: ""Curfew is an in effect approach of reintegrating offenders in to society. It was introduced by the Conservative Government in the late 80s and early 90s."

A Ministry of Justice orator said: "The superintendence released to prisons sets out how the finish of ECL will affect prisoners. As piece of that it remarkable that prisoners would usually be deliberate for early recover underneath the Home Detention Curfew intrigue if they finished the required risk assessments.

"Offenders who poise a higher risk will be ruled out at the comment stage.

"The HDC Scheme, that was lengthened with all celebration await in 2003, allows a managed passing from one to another to the community, on condition that a little make up for offenders as they leave jail and reintegrate in to society."