More prisoners in England and Wales are recalled than released for first time
Summary
For the first time in England and Wales, more people were sent back to prison for breaking their release rules than were let out during the first three months of 2026. The number of people returned to prison rose sharply, causing overcrowding and delaying plans to release inmates early to reduce prison populations.Key Facts
- From January to March 2026, 13,193 people were recalled to prison, while 12,977 were released.
- The recall rate is now over 100%, meaning more people returned to prison than left.
- This rate increased from about 30% a decade ago to over 100% now.
- Most recalls happen because prisoners break license rules, not because they committed new crimes.
- Over 51,000 people were recalled in the year leading to March 2026, the highest number since 2015.
- Nearly 70,000 prisoners have been freed early since September 2024 to ease overcrowding.
- Many recalled prisoners face issues like homelessness, addiction, and mental health problems.
- Experts say the system needs reform to make recalling people to prison a last option.
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