Six West Midlands criminals released early under new scheme rearrested, police chiefs say

Six West Midlands people let out of prison early under a new initiative have been re-arrested this month.

Members of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner’s Accountability and Governance Board were given an update on the Early Release scheme which started on October 1.

And West Midlands Police bosses said of the 181 people released, six have been arrested, mostly for breaches of their licences and shoplifting.

And they added, around 1,000 people will have been released through the scheme by next summer.

The issue was raised by Natalie Queiroz, Victims Advocate, who asked what the impact of the scheme had been on victims and local criminality since it began.

She cited how the Met had announced three early released prisoners were being rearrested every week in London.

Assistant chief constable Paul Drover said the force has dedicated officers and offender managers who work with probation for the early release cohorts.

He said: “Of those 181 releases we’ve seen in October we’ve seen a three per cent arrest rate and that totals six arrests that have come through.

“The majority of those arrests have been for a breach of order or a requirement of their licence.

“It’s a fairly small number and obviously not anything like previously seen in the Met. However, this is still very early in the releases of the prisoners coming through and we will continue to monitor this.”

Chief Constable Scott Green said: “By next summer, we’ll have 1,000 offenders released from this scheme into the West Midlands. The data at the moment is a small sample size.

“What’s clear though is that those breaches because of the nature of the offenders that have been released are for what is sometimes referred to as low level criminality.

“Some of the offences are for breach of a licence, breach of a curfew, failure to comply with a notification requirement, breach of a CBO, shoplifting offences.

“The consequences of all of those offending types is those offenders are still not going to go back to prison.

“By next summer, we’ll have 1,000 people that have been released under those circumstances.

“My commentary is not at all a criticism of the policy because we all know of the issues of our prison capacity.

“What is clear though is that it already is and will impact on crime levels particularly those around thefts from shops and stores, theft from motor vehicles.

“We need to be cited on that from the outset as there will be consequences on these releases. We need to continue to work with our colleagues in probation, within the prison service.”

Ms Queiroz also asked if there was more intense management or monitoring of domestic abuse offenders and stalkers where there is a potential targeted victim.

ACC Drover said: “Absolutely. Offender managers have a specific role around domestic abuse and is one of those key areas that we are overly conscious of in terms of the impact that can have.”