The UK government is implementing an emergency measure to detain suspected criminals in police station cells due to a severe shortage of space in the country’s
overcrowded prisons. This move comes after the arrest of over 1,100 individuals in connection with widespread rioting earlier this month.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration announced on Monday that the mass arrests, primarily related to racist violence targeting migrants and Muslims, have exacerbated an ongoing prison capacity crisis. The situation has already forced the government to consider releasing more prisoners early to free up space.
The new, temporary measure will delay court appearances for suspects until a prison cell is available in one of the more than 100 facilities across the country. Until then, they will be held in police station cells.
"We inherited a justice system in crisis and exposed to shocks," prisons minister James Timpson said in a statement. "As a result, we have been forced into making difficult but necessary decisions to keep it operating."
The overcrowded prison issue presents an early and significant challenge for Starmer, who assumed office just last month. His government is now faced with tough and costly decisions to manage the situation.
The UK has the highest incarceration rate in Western Europe, and the number of prisoners has surged since the pandemic. Factors contributing to the increase include longer sentences, court delays, and a legal requirement that serious offenders serve at least 65% of their sentences behind bars.
Last month, Starmer announced plans to ease prison overcrowding by allowing most prisoners to become eligible for release after serving 40% of their sentences, down from the previous threshold of 50%.
The emergency measures introduced on Monday are particularly aimed at addressing lower prison capacity in the north of England, a region heavily impacted by the recent riots. The unrest was fueled by misinformation that the suspect in the murder of three young girls was an Islamist migrant. Photo by StreetMic LiveStream, Wikimedia commons.