NEARLY 2,000 PRISON CELLS ARE LEFT EMPTY – Prison cells left empty over fire risks could help solve Burnham’s early release crisis
Up to 1,800 prison cells that could help ease England and Wales’s overcrowding crisis are sitting empty because of fire safety risks, a new investigation into Britain’s prison crisis has revealed and this raises questions over why prisoners are being considered for early release while thousands of potential places remain unavailable.
The empty cells are understood to be in prisons where fire safety work is required before they can be occupied.
The issue comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces growing pressure over an early-release scheme introduced to tackle severe overcrowding. Burnham has ordered Justice Secretary Alex Norris to fast-track measures to create additional capacity and prevent serious offenders, including the killers of PC Andrew Harper, being released early.
Other proposals include accelerating the removal of foreign national offenders and repurposing some women’s prisons for male prisoners. The prison population in England and Wales is now around 86,500, placing further pressure on already stretched capacity.
