PREVIEW

Burnham Halts Early Prison Release Scheme. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has suspended plans to introduce an early prison release scheme in England and Wales after concerns raised by victims, survivors and their families. The policy, which was due to come into force in September, would have allowed some offenders to be released after serving a third of their sentence instead of half in an effort to ease pressure on overcrowded prisons. Justice Secretary Alex Norris said the government wanted to give victims greater certainty while it carries out an urgent review of the scheme. Burnham said no prisoners would be released under the policy until ministers were confident the risks to public safety had been minimised. The review will also examine how victims and bereaved families are kept informed throughout the early release process and whether further safeguards are needed before any changes are introduced.
Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT