Nation’s most crowded jails mapped as thousands of prisoners released early
With a number of the country’s jails being crowded at or above capacity the Government is releasing thousands of prisoners to ease overcrowding. And our map on the link below shows just how packed these prisons have become.
Ministry of Justice figures show that in July there was a prison population of 87,479 offenders in jail across England and Wales. This was just 1,383 below the operational capacity - the number of places needed to accommodate different classes of prisoner by age, sex, security category, and conviction status.
With fewer than 80,000 cells available, many of those prisoners are required to share accommodation. In the Midlands, Birmingham had 985 prisoners (as of July 2024), with 772 cells in use – a 128 per cent level of crowding.
Read more: Birmingham burglars 'buzzing' to be freed early as thousands set for release
Oakwood in Featherstone, South Staffordshire, north of Wolverhampton, had a prison population of 2,115, with 1,628 cells, a 130 per cent level of crowding. HMP Hewell, between Bromsgrove and Redditch, had a prison population of 1,033, with 795 cells in use, again at 130 per cent.
While HMP Long Lartin, near Evesham, had 580 prisoners but cells for 649, so at 89 per cent capacity. Stafford was at near capacity with 749 prisoners in 753 cells – 99 per cent. And Swinfen Hall Young Offenders Institute had a 614 prisoner count, with 604 cells in use – 102 per cent.
You can see how crowded the prisons are near where you live using our interactive map below
The most overcrowded prison in England and Wales is HMP Durham in the north east with 984 prisoners and 573 useable cells. Compared to the certified normal standard” of one prisoner per cell Durham was at 172 per cent of capacity, almost two per cell.
Durham has an operational capacity of 985, higher than the number of cells available, which means it has the potential to be “crowded”, so some prisoners can share cells. The jail’s operational capacity was only one higher than the number of prisoners housed in July, although some of them may have been on authorised absence, for example, if a prisoner was ill and needed hospital treatment.
Under the early release scheme, around 5,500 prisoners are expected to be freed early in September and October alone, including 1,700 on the first day. Burglars, shoplifters, and fraudsters who are serving short sentences are among those expected to be released early.
The scheme will apply to prisoners in most prisons bar high security (Category A) ones, with varying amounts released from each. The plan will be reviewed in 18 months.
Read more: Emergency plans drawn up amid fears prisons will run out of space in just weeks
Justice Secretary and Birmingham Ladywood MP, Shabana Mahmood, has said she was forced to trigger the emergency measure “to avert a disaster” as there are only around 1,000 jail places available.
The Labour minister accused the previous Government of failing to get a grip on capacity issues in prisons across England and Wales. It means prisoners who have been jailed for four years or less could be released after serving 40 per cent of their original sentence.
Ms Mahmood said the Tories had left jails “on the point of collapse”, adding that she had no choice but to reduce the automatic release point for certain Standard Determinate Sentences (SDS) to free up space in the prisons system.
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The most crowded prisons in England and Wales
Durham 172 per cent
Leeds 171 per cent
Lincoln 162 per cent
Bedford 160 per cent
Wandsworth 157 per cent
Preston 157 per cent
Doncaster 154 per cent
Altcourse 152 per cent
Exeter 147 per cent
Swansea 143 per cent
Brixton 143 per cent