Green Party calls for ‘alternatives to incarceration’ to solve prison overcrowding crisis
Green peer Jenny Jones has said "we need whole system change"
The Green Party has called for the government to look at ‘alternatives to incarceration’ in order to solver the prison crisis.
It comes as the government has announced that 5,000 prisoners in England and Wales will be released early over 10 months from October. This is down from the original plan to release 6,000 as the new government has excluded those convicted of rape, serious child sex offences and grooming from the scheme.
The early release scheme is designed to address overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales. In 2024-25, almost three quarters of prisons were deemed to be overcrowded.
The Green Party has said that the government’s early release scheme ‘cannot solve the overcrowding crisis’, that there needs to be ‘whole system change’ and that the government should explore ‘alternatives to incarceration’.
Green Party peer Jenny Jones said: “Early release cannot solve the overcrowding crisis in our prisons. We need whole system change.
“That means investing in crime prevention through better youth services, mental health support and anti-poverty measures.
“For those convicted we need alternatives to incarceration especially for women, young people and offenders whose crimes are linked to poverty or destitution and a greater use of community-based penalties.
“We also need more investment in rehabilitation, education, housing and employment support to help people back into the community when they leave prison and to cut reoffending.”
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forwrad
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
Donate today
