A RECORD number of lags are being recalled to prison in another damning sign that the justice system is failing. One in five of the sentenced prison population are there after being hauled back to jail. That is 12,920 people, up by seven per cent from the previous year. In the year to September 2024, there were nearly 32,500 admissions to prison following a recall — a 27 per cent increase from the previous year.
![[Portrait of Pia Sinha, governor of HMP Liverpool, in the prison.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2017-pointed-various-failings-problems-929275007.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
It comes after Labour let out thousands of prisoners early last year in a bid to free up space in overcrowded jails. A quarter of those sent back had committed another crime while on licence while most others had failed to comply with their probation terms. The recall figures, published by the Prison Reform Trust, particularly highlight those on short sentences of fewer than 12 months, with almost 10,000 offenders sent back to jail.
![[Jail hallway with prison cells.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NINTCHDBPICT000971196627.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Chief executive of the Prison Reform Trust Pia Sinha said the findings showed changes were needed in Britain’s jails and called for an end to short recalls. She said: "Today’s briefing highlights the urgent need for further reforms to recall and our use of short prison sentences. “The evidence is clear, short prison sentences are less effective than other community sentences at reducing crime, and the growing use of recall is trapping people in the criminal justice system, rather than supporting them out of it.
“Further measures are needed if the government is to avoid another prison overcrowding crisis. "These should include the abolition of the use of short, fixed-term recalls of 28 days or less; the removal of post-sentence supervision for people serving short sentences; and a transition towards more effective community-based solutions through the introduction of a presumption against short prison sentences.”.
