Politics latest: PM says 'I have no choice' but to change prison recall rules
Government's prison reforms could have 'deadly' consequences, warns commissioner
The domestic abuse commissioner has called for an urgent meeting with the government, as she fears new plans to overhaul the use of recall in prisons could be "deadly".
Dame Nicole Jacobs has written to the justice secretary about her proposals to make more prisoners eligible for fixed-term recall, announced yesterday.
The plans would see most prisoners sentenced to four years in prison or less serve a maximum of 28 days behind bars if they are recalled, rather than having to wait until they can be assessed by a parole board.
Previously, this only applied to prisoners serving sentences of up to a year.
'Victims will be harmed'
Jacobs has written she believes "it is clear that victims' safety has not been considered in this decision".
She added that the reforms will increase pressure on the probation service, and she is concerned about the "knock-on impact that this will have on the safety of victims and survivors".
She added: "Shifting the pent-up pressure within the prison service on to the underfunded and under resourced probation service is not an effective solution to this crisis and will lead to victims being harmed."
The government has said prisoners jailed for domestic abuse and sexual offences will be exempt, but admitted not all of these will be covered.
Jacobs said: "If they are recalled, at a minimum they must be risk assessed before they are re-released."
Recall changes will lead to 'something appalling'
The Conservatives have backed the domestic abuse commissioner's call.
Following Jacobs' letter, Robert Jenrick said: "Sick domestic abusers and prisoners so menacing that the parole board kept them behind bars will now be released."
The shadow justice secretary added: "It's only a matter of time before they go on to do something appalling."
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