News
News in brief: October 2026
14 shorter prison and justice stories from October 2026, gathered in one place.
Probation
News
Death of man released from HMP Holme House shows risks for prison leavers
Aaron Rowley died days after an unexpected release from HMP Holme House. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman says prison leavers need more support.
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Sentencing Act early releases begin as probation and victims’ groups raise concerns
Some prisoners began leaving custody one-third of the way through their sentences on 1 October, with about 4,500 due out early over the next nine months.
News
News in brief: September 2026
9 shorter prison and justice stories from September 2026, gathered in one place.
News
Chief Inspectors of Probation and Prisons warn over early release plans
The Chief Inspector of Probation said he was not fully confident probation could cope, while the Chief Inspector of Prisons called the system very fragile.
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Recalls now outnumber releases as Nacro urges a more proportionate system
Recalls to prison have risen by 136 per cent since 2016/17, and the charity says reform would free thousands of places in an overcrowded estate.
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GPS-tagged restriction zones for people on licence to start in October
The Justice Secretary says some people leaving prison could be confined to areas only a few miles wide, with recall for anyone who breaches the boundary.
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People on probation to face 1,000 random drug tests a month
The Ministry of Justice plans random testing in the community for the first time, with recall possible for some who fail, while testing in prisons remains below past levels.
News
News in brief: August 2026
11 shorter prison and justice stories from August 2026, gathered in one place.
News
Recalls to prison outnumber releases for the first time
Official figures show 13,193 recalls against 12,977 releases in the first three months of 2026. Most recalls were for reasons other than suspected new offences.