Hundreds of prisoners are being released early as governments respond to rising pressure on the prison system, with more people being sent to prison and serving longer periods behind bars.
The policy has been used by successive governments, including the current administration. The central issue is the growing prison population: increasing numbers of people are entering custody, while longer sentences mean prisoners remain in the system for more time.
As these pressures build, early release has become a way for governments to manage the number of people held in prison. The available information does not specify which prisoners are eligible, how early releases are arranged or the precise number involved.
The situation reflects a wider challenge for policymakers as prison numbers continue to be affected by both the number of people receiving custodial sentences and the length of time they spend in custody. Further details on the operation and scale of the early-release arrangements are not provided in the supplied material.