Independent Prison Capacity Review: final report
The Independent Prison Capacity Review examines the prison capacity crisis and offers recommendations to help future governments avoid recurring crises.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
In 2024, the Lord Chancellor announced a review into the handling of prison capacity. The Independent Prison Capacity Review, led by Dame Anne Owers, looked at the origins of the capacity crisis, the reasons why supply and demand did not meet, and the consequences for prisons and other parts of criminal justice. It sets out recommendations to help future governments avoid the cycle of repeated prison capacity crises. The review analysed strategic supply and demand choices, how these choices affected remaining prison capacity, the governance structures and decision-making process, and the impact of the crisis on the wider criminal justice system. Dame Anne Owers offers recommendations to prevent such crises happening again by setting up and reinforcing systems that do not just signal problems and approaching crises, but stimulate preventive action to avoid them. This includes ensuring sufficient capacity in probation and community services.
Updates to this page
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Welsh version published.
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First published.