Reports show that there are less than 100 spaces left in men’s prisons across England and Wales.

According to the Guardian, Magistrates were told on Friday, August 23, to delay jailing criminals as the number of people in prison hit a new weekly high.

The prison population on Friday stood at 88,234, the highest end of week number since 2011, when the weekly data was first published.

With an increase in arrests over the August bank holiday weekend, there are less than 100 spaces left in male prisons across the country.

In July 2024, prisons in England and Wales stood at 98 per cent capacity and one month on, the situation is only getting worse.

To combat the prison crisis, the UK government announced in July that prisoners who have served 40 per cent of their sentence could be released under a new scheme to help free up space in prisons.

There is considerable concern among justice figures about what could happen over the coming weeks before prisoners are freed early, the PA news agency reported.

Prisoners who are in jail for serious violent offences with sentences of four years or more, as well as sex offenders, will not be released early under this scheme.

It will also exclude those convicted of domestic abuse and what the government calls "connected crimes", such as stalking offences and controlling or coercive behaviours.

It only applies to a certain type of prison sentence, under which prisoners are automatically released after a set amount of time.

Speaking on Tuesday, August 24, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “I can’t tell you how shocked I was when I discovered the full extent of what [the Conservatives have] done with our prisons, and it’s going to take time to fix it.”

“I can’t build a prison by Saturday. We will fix it, we’ve already taken the measures that are necessary to make sure we can get through the disorder.

“Plans are in place to release some inmates early to relieve overcrowding, in addition to emergency measures in the north of England to allow prisoners to be held in police cells.”

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Justice said more than 500 places will be made available in the coming weeks.

A spokesperson said: “The new government inherited a justice system in crisis and has been forced into taking difficult but necessary action to ensure we can keep locking up dangerous criminals and protect the public.

“Staff across the whole criminal justice system are working incredibly hard and the government will continue to support them before the changes come into effect on September 10.”