Howard League responds to government plans for greater use of fixed-term recall to address the prison capacity crisis

The Howard League for Penal Reform has responded to the government’s plans to make more use of fixed-term recall to address the prison capacity crisis, announced today (Wednesday 14 May).

The number of people in prison after recall has more than doubled since 2018, rising to 13,600 in March 2025.

Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.), Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The Secretary of State is right to say that the government cannot build its way out of the prison capacity crisis, and the measures announced today are a logical step to take when the recall population is rising so quickly. More should also be done to look at why so many people are recalled to prison in the first place.

“This is the latest in a long line of policy announcements that we have seen in the last 12 months and, like the others, it will buy ministers a little more time. But no one should pretend that it will be enough to solve the problems that the system faces, and all the changes unveiled so far have been predicated on the understanding that prisons will continue to hold hundreds more people than they are designed to accommodate.

“The sentencing review, which is due to report soon, is a chance to lay the foundations for a lasting solution to this mess – but there is no time to lose, and only bold reform will do. Without a major reduction in the number of people sentenced to custody, we will see many more gloomy press conferences and the cold reality that this is a public service lurching from crisis to crisis.”

Notes to editors

1. The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the world. It is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.
2. In its submission to the independent sentencing review, the Howard League called for a rapid review of administrative recalls and guidance. The charity said that the best outcome would be to abolish recall for administrative breaches entirely. Alternatively, it added, any recall for administrative breach should be fixed-term and set at 14 days, as opposed to the option of a standard recall which requires review by the Parole Board prior to re-release. The submission can be read online at: https://howardleague.org/submission-to-the-independent-sentencing-reviews-call-for-evidence/
3. For more information about the prison overcrowding crisis, read the explainer article ‘Why are prisons overcrowded?’ on the Howard League website: https://howardleague.org/why-are-prisons-overcrowded/

Contact

Rob Preece
Communications Manager
Tel: +44 (0)7714 604955
Email: [email protected]