Labour’s Shabana Mahmood has activated Operation Safeguard as prisons face overcrowding issues, leading to the reintroduction of emergency measures. Despite releasing thousands of offenders early, the Justice Secretary has had to put police cells on standby due to a recent surge in the number of criminals being jailed. The current prison population in England and Wales has reached a six-month high, leaving just under 1,300 spaces available. Operation Safeguard involves police cells being used temporarily to hold prisoners until space becomes available in prisons. The Labour government plans to build 14,000 new prison places by 2031 and is exploring alternatives to reduce the number of offenders being sent to jail through an independent sentencing review. This review may include expanding community punishments and utilizing technology to monitor offenders outside of prison settings.
