The government’s new plan, Operation Early Dawn, aims to address prison overcrowding, but the reality inside prisons is far from a fresh start. With male prisons in England at over 99% capacity, the urgent need to tackle overcrowding is evident. Overcrowded prisons lead to dangerous conditions where different types of offenders are housed together, cells are in disrepair, and staff are under immense pressure. As a former prison officer, the decision to release certain low-level offenders seems logical, but the cycle of returning to prison is all too common. Releasing individuals back into the same environments that led them to prison in the first place only perpetuates the issue. Operation Early Dawn may provide temporary relief, but it does not address the underlying societal problems that lead to overcrowding in the first place. Real change requires a comprehensive approach that extends beyond the prison walls. It’s clear that a fresh start is needed not just in prisons, but in society as a whole.
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Ex-prison officer’s strategy: release drug offenders & low-level gang members
