Early release prisoners face street homelessness in England, staff warn

Probation staff and charities have warned that prisoners released from jail early in England face immediate street homelessness, according to the Guardian. Temporary probation accommodation provided to former inmates is beginning to expire, leaving individuals with nowhere to live. [1]

The Guardian reported the case of a 37-year-old former inmate named James who was released from prison in August and placed in temporary probation accommodation in Somerset. His temporary housing is set to expire in four days, leaving him facing the prospect of sleeping on the street after contacting his council, probation officers, solicitors, and local politicians without securing help. [1]

Charities cited by the Guardian said that the situation exposes a serious flaw in Andy Burnham's plan to end rough sleeping in England by Christmas. One released prisoner told the outlet that he was tempted to get himself recalled to prison rather than live on the streets. [1]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, about 650 offenders in England and Wales were scheduled for early release in mid-October under a government scheme to ease prison overcrowding. That second phase applied to inmates serving sentences up to two and a half years, allowing them to be freed after serving one third of their terms rather than half, following an earlier release of around 700 offenders on October 1. [4]