Early release scheme for prisoners prompts debate over victim safety in Peterborough
Government's plan to ease prison overcrowding raises concerns over public safety and victim protection
Government plans to ease prison overcrowding have sparked concern in Peterborough, with domestic abuse services warning the early release scheme could put victims and their children at greater risk.
The scheme – originally due to begin in September – has been delayed until October after Prime Minister Andy Burnham ordered an urgent review following widespread criticism of the original proposals.
Mandy Geraghty, CEO of Peterborough Women's Aid, said the charity remains uncertain about how the government's promised investment in trauma-informed victim services will be delivered, despite ministers announcing a £10 million national support package.
"We have also seen that the Prime Minister is investing in trauma-informed victim services. However, we do not have a timeline, we do not have any idea at Peterborough Women's Aid what that will look like," she said.
"So what we would want to say to the Government is, and the new Prime Minister, when is this money going to be available? Is it going to coincide with the early release of perpetrators of abuse? And how can local services have access to this funding?"
Geraghty argued that prison overcrowding should not come at the expense of victim safety.
"This is not the right move, just because prisons are overcrowded," she said. "Is that a victim's fault? It's not. So it is up to the government to be able to keep prisoners, perpetrators of domestic abuse, incarcerated, so they can continue any rehabilitation work and serve the sentence they were given."
She also warned the policy could discourage victims from reporting abuse.
"There will be victims of abuse out there that will look at this scheme for early release for perpetrators of abuse and think, 'Is it worth me going through the process of reporting to the police, the very difficult process of the criminal justice system, if they know that they are going to get a reduced sentence?'"
The government has confirmed that people convicted of rape, serious child sex offences and grooming will be excluded from the early release scheme following the review.
While welcoming that decision, Geraghty said domestic abuse perpetrators continue to pose a significant risk.
"We welcome the news that the Prime Minister is not going to release rapists. However, we feel they have underestimated the manipulation and obsessiveness of domestic abuse perpetrators," she said.
"We know that perpetrators of domestic abuse will repeat offend, even if it's not with an existing or previous victim, that they will hunt out vulnerable women to abuse. We know that perpetrators of domestic abuse are manipulative and persistent."
She added: "So the risk to women and children in Peterborough will definitely go up with this early release scheme."
Alongside changes to the policy, ministers have announced a £10 million package to strengthen support for victims and said eligible offenders released under the scheme will be subject to tougher supervision, including GPS monitoring, exclusion zones and extended licence conditions.
Ministers say prisons are so close to capacity that without releasing some offenders early, the system will run out of room.