On Monday, the UK government implemented emergency measures to address overcrowding in prisons in northern England, triggered by a surge in convictions related to recent riots.
The introduction of “Operation Early Dawn” allows defendants to be detained in police cells and not appear in court until prison space becomes available. This step was taken in response to the growing number of convictions linked to the recent unrest.
The overcrowding issue has worsened an already strained prison system in England and Wales, which the new Labour government warned last month was on the verge of “collapse.”
With England and Wales having the highest per capita prison population in Western Europe, the government has announced plans to release thousands of prisoners early in September to alleviate the crisis.
Under Operation Early Dawn, officials in northern England will evaluate each morning and throughout the day which defendants can attend court based on available prison capacity.
“We inherited a justice system in crisis and vulnerable to shocks,” stated prisons minister James Timpson. “As a result, we have had to make difficult but necessary decisions to keep it functioning.”
The justice ministry explained that this measure aims to manage short-term prison capacity pressures in specific regions.
While police have assured that arrests will not be affected, the ministry emphasized that “anyone who poses a risk to the public will not be granted bail.” However, representatives from prison and court system workers have expressed concerns that the policy will inevitably impact policing and other areas of criminal justice.
Mark Fairhurst, chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, told the BBC, “It’s justice delayed at the moment because we’re not just filling up police cells, so they might have to delay some of their operations.”
Tom Franklin of the Magistrates’ Association added, “There will be delays for some individuals charged with offenses getting to court because the Prison Service can’t guarantee… there would be a place for them.”
The recent riots in England and Northern Ireland followed the stabbing deaths of three girls at a dance class in Southport, northwest England. Officials have attributed the unrest to far-right agitators, who incited violence that targeted police, mosques, and hotels housing asylum seekers.
