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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/16/more-inmates-to-be-released-early-under-home-curfew-rules
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| More inmates to be released early under home curfew rules | More inmates to be released early under home curfew rules |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| England and Wales prison service says scheme was previously too bureaucratic | England and Wales prison service says scheme was previously too bureaucratic |
| Jamie Grierson | Jamie Grierson |
| Fri 16 Feb 2018 10.20 GMT | Fri 16 Feb 2018 10.20 GMT |
| Last modified on Fri 16 Feb 2018 22.00 GMT | |
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| The government hopes to increase the number of inmates released early from jail under strict home curfew rules, it has emerged. | The government hopes to increase the number of inmates released early from jail under strict home curfew rules, it has emerged. |
| The Ministry of Justice has issued revised guidance for its home detention curfew (HDC) scheme, which sees eligible prisoners released under strict monitoring conditions, including a tag and a requirement to be home between 7pm and 7am. | The Ministry of Justice has issued revised guidance for its home detention curfew (HDC) scheme, which sees eligible prisoners released under strict monitoring conditions, including a tag and a requirement to be home between 7pm and 7am. |
| No one serving a sentence of four years or more for any offence is eligible, nor are sex offenders. | No one serving a sentence of four years or more for any offence is eligible, nor are sex offenders. |
| In a paper issued to prisons and probation providers last month, the prisons and probation service said: “The reason for the change is that the previous process had become overly bureaucratic and tended to frustrate the objectives of the scheme, meaning that only a minority of eligible offenders were being released on HDC.” | In a paper issued to prisons and probation providers last month, the prisons and probation service said: “The reason for the change is that the previous process had become overly bureaucratic and tended to frustrate the objectives of the scheme, meaning that only a minority of eligible offenders were being released on HDC.” |
| As many as 35,000 prisoners could be eligible for the scheme but in 2016 only 21% – or around 9,000 – were released. | As many as 35,000 prisoners could be eligible for the scheme but in 2016 only 21% – or around 9,000 – were released. |
| The prison population stands at 84,255, according to figures released on Friday, and jails in England and Wales have space for 86,711 inmates. | The prison population stands at 84,255, according to figures released on Friday, and jails in England and Wales have space for 86,711 inmates. |
| Violence in prisons has reached levels not seen for 25 years with three murders inside jails in England and Wales in 2017. | Violence in prisons has reached levels not seen for 25 years with three murders inside jails in England and Wales in 2017. |
| The HDC scheme was introduced in 1999 to provide a managed transition from prison to community for offenders serving short sentences, according to the paper, which was first seen by the Times. | The HDC scheme was introduced in 1999 to provide a managed transition from prison to community for offenders serving short sentences, according to the paper, which was first seen by the Times. |
| The Ministry of Justice said it was not altering the rules for eligibility but was streamlining the process for assessing those eligible. | The Ministry of Justice said it was not altering the rules for eligibility but was streamlining the process for assessing those eligible. |
| A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We are not expanding the scheme to allow the release of any prisoner who was not already eligible and could be released on HDC. We are simplifying the HDC process, reducing the number of forms used in the assessment process and maintaining the strict eligibility and suitability tests. | A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We are not expanding the scheme to allow the release of any prisoner who was not already eligible and could be released on HDC. We are simplifying the HDC process, reducing the number of forms used in the assessment process and maintaining the strict eligibility and suitability tests. |
| “This will mean governors can make well-informed, more timely decisions and ensure robust risk management plans are in place for offenders released under the scheme.” | “This will mean governors can make well-informed, more timely decisions and ensure robust risk management plans are in place for offenders released under the scheme.” |
| Prisons and probation | Prisons and probation |
| UK criminal justice | UK criminal justice |
| news | news |
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