Prison overcrowding in the UK has reached critical levels, with the population in England and Wales hitting 88,238 as of 11 August, just 283 short of the record high of 88,521.
Despite the early release of over 26,000 offenders since last year, numbers continue to rise, fuelled by a growing prison population and limited capacity.
The Government has introduced emergency measures, including releasing some prisoners after serving just 40% of their sentence, with further reforms under consideration following a review by former Lord Chancellor David Gauke.
Plans also include expanding the “deport now, appeal later” scheme to free up space.
On tackling prison overcrowding, Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood told The Telegraph: “We’ve opened 2,400 new places and are committed to delivering 14,000 by 2031. But the population is growing too fast to build our way out of this crisis.” She emphasised that alternative measures, including smarter sentencing, early release for compliant inmates, tough community orders, and electronic monitoring, are essential. “New technology and bold reforms can reduce reoffending and manage our prison population more effectively,” she added.
Mahmood has also met with tech companies to explore innovative solutions, such as wearable devices, behaviour monitoring, and geolocation, as well as robots and driverless vehicles to assist in managing offenders, essentially creating a “prison outside of prison.” These measures aim to ease overcrowding and support probation services under pressure.
Yet, the challenge remains beyond prison walls. Many offenders released early face a practical hurdle: a criminal record makes it difficult to secure stable employment. Without work, providing for a family becomes challenging, financial stress rises, and the risk of returning to crime increases, sometimes escalating into more serious offending. Effective rehabilitation and support are therefore critical to breaking this cycle.
Employment is one of the strongest protections against reoffending. Those who are unemployed six weeks after release are more than twice as likely to offend again than those in work. The recent rise in post-release employment to 34.5% is encouraging, but it still leaves most people on the margins. Raising that figure, and improving job retention, not just initial placement remains critical.
Reducing crime through jobs and guidance
A strong rehabilitation programme is essential to break the cycle of reoffending. By linking prisons, probation, employers, and local organisations, offenders leave with a clear plan to rebuild their lives, helping families regain stability and communities see fewer crimes. Without it, the cycle continues.
Speaking to Asian Voice, Lord Navnit Dholakia highlighted the urgent need for targeted employment programmes to support small offenders serving short sentences. “Small offenders suffer from short sentences in our courts,” he said. “Having lost their liberty, they often lose family support, home accommodation and any prospect of employment. We need to ensure that we can provide job apprenticeships and training opportunities to small-time offenders to deviate them away from crime.”
Lord Dholakia added that many businesses are already willing to offer such opportunities. “I know of many businesses offering such facilities to those who have erred. Any offender moving away from crime saves the country a lot of money from the State over a long period of time, thus benefiting society generally. I have never been afraid of employing small-time criminals and offenders, and their loyalty has amazed me.”
He also stressed the role of businesses, NGOs, and community groups in breaking the cycle of reoffending. “We all have a duty to ensure that we care for people who have offended,” he said. “A properly supervised approach from employers and community groups should help. The rewards of such schemes are great and the failure rate is very low.”
On mentorship and rehabilitation, he warned of the risks posed by offenders who may influence others in prison. “Such offenders should be properly monitored and supervised so that they do not act detrimentally against those reshaping their lives,” he said. “We must also ensure that adult education institutes are geared to help. Offenders lose out on most things, and we have a great opportunity to assist. Prisons are for those for whom no alternative is viable; offenders receiving community sentencing perform well to regulate their lives for the better.”
Discussing the role of local communities in reintegration, Lord Dholakia emphasised, “Protection of peace and public safety is an essential value of our democracy. This must not be sacrificed in any way. Offenders are aware of this and would not wish to endanger their liberty.”
He further highlighted the importance of structured post-release monitoring, counselling, and skills development to ease prison overcrowding. “We sentence more people to custodial sentences than many countries in the western world,” he said. “We must learn from international practices. Custodial sentences should be a last resort. A more reasonable prison population would allow us to address overcrowding and pursue much-needed reforms.”
With targeted employment schemes, mentorship, and community support, Lord Dholakia believes that offenders can be reintegrated successfully, families can regain stability, and society as a whole can benefit from a safer, more productive environment.
Support systems vital to break reoffending cycle
Andrea Coady, Head of Service User Involvement at Nacro, said: “Having a job after prison is one of the most important factors in reducing reoffending. Those unemployed six weeks after release are twice as likely to reoffend compared to those in work. While it’s encouraging that post-release employment has risen to 34.5%, more must be done.
“The prison estate is in crisis. Overcrowded and often overrun with illicit drugs, prisons are frequently places of inactivity—a third of people are not in work, education, or programmes. Without meaningful activity, people leave unprepared for employment. Reducing the prison population is essential to make rehabilitation possible. The Government must expand workshops, introduce real working days, and increase day release opportunities to better prepare people for life outside.
“Post-release, we need employers willing to hire people with criminal records, supported by partnerships between probation, prisons, local businesses, and voluntary organisations. Investment in the voluntary sector is crucial—they provide housing, mental health support, substance misuse help, and mentorship, all vital for breaking the cycle of offending.”
A spokesperson from the Ebb Leicester said accommodation and employment remain the biggest challenges. “The Gauke Sentencing Review shows reoffending rates for the homeless or rough sleeping were double those with accommodation on release. Gov.UK data also shows offenders unemployed six weeks after release are twice as likely to reoffend. Good intentions aren’t enough—it’s like offering a homeless man a can of beans without a can opener.”
Highlighting the scale of the problem, the spokesperson added: “Eighty per cent of offending is reoffending, and PACT reports recalls to prison have more than doubled between 2018 and 2025. For families, the impact is crushing. After life is upended by a crime and sentence, having a loved one recalled shatters the world all over again.”
