OPINION: Addressing the challenges of early prison releases​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Tragically, the prison system in England and Wales is under severe pressure. Due to an over-reliance on prison time over alternative sentencing, as well as underfunded rehabilitation schemes, this country has some of the highest prison populations per capita in Europe.

This growing problem was never addressed by the previous government. As a result, the new government has reluctantly had to introduce an early release scheme to free up some space in our prisons.

The programme affects a small number of prisoners who have served most of their sentence thus far. Each prisoner is assessed before their release to ensure public safety, and those individuals who are at risk of committing violent or very serious crime are unlikely to be released.

All prisoners, whether they have served a short or long, full or reduced sentence, require support from a system that is currently disconnected.

The police service is monitoring the situation closely, but I am interested in focusing the longer term too. All communities must be protected throughout this process; and victims of crime such as violence and domestic abuse cannot be put at new risk.

The early release scheme is a temporary fix to a longer-term problem. Sentencing reform in this country is desperately needed, aiming to avoid short-term sentences that leave ex-offenders without rehabilitation, housing or employment in a matter of weeks.

My police and crime plan for Bedfordshire, launched this month, focuses on the need for whole-system change driven by effective collaboration between all agencies. The police service and partners within the criminal justice system must develop more arrangements to divert criminals from the custody system.

As Police and Crime Commissioner, I am calling on all partners from local authorities to the health services, to invest and work together to increase provisions for ex-offenders leaving prison in the form of housing and employment, as well as substance abuse programmes where needed.

This is the only way to build a Bedfordshire that is safer and fairer for all.