Victims’ Commissioner welcomes pause to prisoner early release scheme

The Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales has welcomed the government's decision to pause its proposed prisoner early release scheme, calling for urgent clarity on the implications for victims.

Claire Waxman OBE said the Prime Minister's decision to suspend the scheme pending an urgent review was the right course of action, following concerns that key safeguards for victims had not yet been fully implemented.

The announcement follows the Commissioner's repeated representations to ministers and officials, in which she argued that measures to address prison capacity pressures should not compromise victim safety or undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system.

On 22 July, the Commissioner wrote to both the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor setting out concerns about the readiness of the proposed scheme. The letter highlighted issues including arrangements for risk assessments, communication with victims, offender supervision and the support available to victims affected by the reforms.

Welcoming the government's decision, Waxman said pausing the scheme was the correct step while the review is carried out. She said the government must now provide victims with clear information about how the review will be conducted, what safeguards will be introduced and how their safety and rights will be protected before any early release arrangements are implemented.

The Commissioner reiterated that efforts to manage pressures on the prison estate must not come at the expense of victims or public confidence in the justice system.