What is the early release scheme?
Hundreds of prisoners across England and Wales are being released early today under a new scheme designed to free up prison space. Prisons face severe overcrowding and are projected to run out of capacity by the end of 2026 unless immediate measures are taken.
Under the new scheme, prisoners who previously needed to serve two thirds of their sentence before being released on probation will now be eligible for release after serving half of their sentence in prison.
The Government has faced significant backlash over the scheme from victim-survivors, their family and friends, and the wider public. Domestic abuse services, including the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, have issued public statements calling for domestic abuse perpetrators to be excluded from the scheme. As of today, only offenders convicted of murder, manslaughter, a sexual or grooming-related offence, or a driving offence that led to a death are excluded from the early release scheme.
Lack of capacity in the Prisons and Probation Service’s electronic tagging scheme, with delays lasting up to five months before offenders are fitted with tags, also raise concerns about the safety of victim-survivors of domestic abuse.
How does this impact employees affected by domestic abuse?
- Safety: Some victim-survivors will face an increase in risk to their safety and the safety of their dependants, which will require safety planning undertaken by someone competent to do so, such as an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA), the police or specialist domestic abuse services. The increase in risk and fear about continued abuse may impact their work, and they may need to make temporary arrangements to keep themselves and their families safe.
- Trauma: Victim-survivors may relive their trauma. For victim-survivors who have spent years trying to rebuild their lives, news of the perpetrator’s release can be a deeply unsettling reminder of what they have lived through.
- Injustice: For many victim-survivors, there can also be a profound sense of injustice. They may have spent years in limbo while their case made its way through the court system, unable to fully focus on their recovery and rebuilding their lives. In some cases, the court process itself has lasted longer than the sentence given to the perpetrator.
“My perpetrator was let out in the first early release scheme, having only served ten months of a two-year sentence. I fought so hard for the criminal conviction of my perpetrator and am devastated at the outcome. When my perpetrator was released, his electronic tag didn’t work properly. It wasn’t picked up for five months, which enabled him to continue his abuse towards me indirectly by targeting my property and people in my network. I am gravely concerned that perpetrators released early will seek revenge for their time spent behind bars by escalating their abuse or by finding new victims. Employers need to be aware of the real fear victim-survivors impacted by the prison release will feel at this time, and offer them support as needed.” – Kathryn Benwell, EIDA Ambassador
How can employers support their employees who are impacted by the early release scheme?
Employers may not be aware of anyone in their workforce who is impacted by the early release scheme, or domestic abuse generally. However, with one in three women and one in five men experiencing domestic abuse in their lifetime, most organisations will employ people who are affected. By proactively raising awareness of domestic abuse and the support their organisations offer, employers can make a significant positive difference to the lives of employees impacted by abuse.
While employers are not expected to be domestic abuse experts, they can provide the empathy and support that victim-survivors need. Recovery from domestic abuse is a long-term process that often requires long-term support that varies over time.
- You could refer to the early release scheme in a communication with your workforce to make them aware of your domestic abuse response. This will raise awareness among colleagues that workplace support is available.
- If an employee is a victim-survivor affected by the early release scheme and is known to the organisation, invite them to have a conversation. Ask what would help them feel safe, and if they would like regular check-ins over the coming period (or longer term).
- Make clear what support the organisation can offer, such as flexibility around working hours or work location; mental health support; special leave; and a safe space to make calls, access support, or store sensitive information.
- Create opportunities for workplace conversations about domestic abuse, during 1-1 check-ins and team meetings.
- Signpost to specialist domestic abuse services as needed. It is advisable to keep a list of local and national support services on your organisation’s intranet or other accessible spaces so employees can find this information independently, should they not wish to talk to a manager or HR. Information about local services can be found through the Bright Sky app which is free to download.
