Recalls to prison in England and Wales outnumber releases, MoJ data shows
Ministry of Justice figures show 12,338 people were returned to custody between April and June while 12,278 were released, as charities warn the recalls deepen the overcrowding crisis.
At a glance
- MoJ figures show 12,338 people were recalled to prison in England and Wales in April to June, more than the 12,278 released.
- Recalls in the year to June reached 52,716, up 27% on the previous 12 months and a key factor in the capacity crisis.
- Charities say high recall rates worsen overcrowding, as safety data record 360 prison deaths in the year to September 2026.
More people were recalled to prison in England and Wales than were released in the second quarter of this year, according to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures published on Thursday. Between the start of April and the end of June, 12,338 people were recalled to custody while 12,278 were released, continuing a pattern set in the first quarter, when 13,193 people were returned to prison and 12,977 were freed.
Recalls up 27% over the year
In the 12 months to June, 52,716 prisoners were put back behind bars after breaching the terms of their licence, a 27% increase on the previous 12-month total. The MoJ said the high recall rate is a key contributor to the prison capacity crisis and helped to prompt the early release schemes introduced this month.
The department's figures also show that 79,274 inmates were freed early between September 2024 and June 2026 under emergency measures brought in to tackle overcrowding. The scheme, known as SDS40, cut the proportion of their sentence that some prisoners must serve in custody in England and Wales from 50% to 40%. The MoJ said SDS40 and other policy changes were likely to have contributed to the rise in recalls. From 1 October, the emergency measures were replaced by a permanent early release scheme under the Sentencing Act 2026.
The department said it was "vital those who break the rules can be hauled back to prison", and noted that most offenders are now taken back into custody for 56 days before being released again, a fixed-term recall, rather than being held until the end of their sentence.
Charities warn of a 'revolving cycle'
The Howard League for Penal Reform said the "alarmingly high rate of recalls is making a terrible problem even worse" and called on the government to find a lasting solution to the overcrowding crisis. Rob Preece, the charity's head of communications, said the prison system was under enormous pressure, with chronic overcrowding, staff shortages and poor conditions that made effective rehabilitation close to impossible.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the social justice charity Nacro, said the number of recalls must be urgently addressed so that prison spaces are not filled again by people sent back to jail. He said a significant proportion of those released go straight back to chaotic lives involving addiction, mental health problems and homelessness, and that support and stable accommodation are needed as soon as they leave prison.
Deaths and self-harm remain high
Safety in custody statistics showed that 360 people in prison died in the 12 months to the end of September 2026, including 66 whose deaths were recorded as self-inflicted. Prisons recorded 68,231 incidents of self-harm in the 12 months to the end of June 2026, a rate of one every eight minutes, although incidents fell by 12% in men's prisons and by 3.8% in women's prisons.
Separate figures showed that the number of serious offenders on probation charged with a serious further offence rose for a third successive year to a record 281. Of those charged, 119 were registered sexual offenders, 128 were murderers and four were terrorists or posed a terror risk.
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- How many prisoners were recalled to jail in England and Wales?
- Ministry of Justice figures show 12,338 people were recalled to custody between April and June, while 12,278 were released. In the year to June, 52,716 people were recalled, 27% more than in the previous 12 months.
- What is the SDS40 early release scheme?
- SDS40 was an emergency measure that cut the proportion of their sentence some prisoners in England and Wales must serve in custody from 50% to 40%. It freed 79,274 inmates early between September 2024 and June 2026 and was replaced from 1 October by a permanent scheme under the Sentencing Act 2026.
- Why are so many prisoners being recalled to custody?
- The MoJ links the rise to the SDS40 releases and to policy changes meaning most offenders are returned to custody for 56 days, a fixed-term recall, rather than until the end of their sentence. Charities point to addiction, mental health problems and homelessness after release.
