Prisons in England and Wales are facing a severe overcrowding crisis, with fewer than 100 spaces remaining in men’s facilities.
The Ministry of Justice reports that since early 2023, prisons have been operating at over 99 percent capacity.
As of last week, the prison population had climbed to 88,234, an increase of 341 from the previous week.
According to recent updates from the Prison Officers’ Association, only 83 spaces are left in men’s prisons.
In response to the crisis, magistrates’ courts across England and Wales have been instructed to delay hearings for offenders on bail who are likely to be sentenced to prison until at least September 10.
This measure reflects the critical strain on the prison system.
The newly elected Labour government, which took office last month, has criticized the previous Conservative administration for neglecting the justice system.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, expressed disbelief over the current situation, highlighting the severe lack of prison spaces, especially in light of recent far-right riots targeting Muslim and minority communities.
Starmer described the shortage of prison places as a fundamental failure, stating, “Not having enough prison places is about as fundamental a failure as you can get.”
The overcrowding issue is compounded by the UK’s highest incarceration rate in Western Europe.
This surge, which began during the pandemic, is due to case backlogs, court delays, and new sentencing rules requiring serious offenders to serve at least two-thirds of their sentences.
Data from the Prison Service shows that 23 percent of inmates were sharing cells during the 2022-2023 period.
The Ministry of Justice projects that the prison population could grow to between 95,000 and 114,000 by 2027 as case backlogs are cleared.
Last year, magistrates’ courts handled over 1.33 million criminal cases.
