Cheap Prison Calls:
What Do UK Prisons Look Like In 2024?

The UK’s prison system is at a critical crossroads. Recent crises have highlighted systemic failings, but they also present a unique opportunity for bold reform. According to the latest reports, the challenges facing prisons have reached a tipping point. However, evidence suggests that this tumultuous period could spark significant changes, transforming the criminal justice system into one that prioritizes safety, fairness, and rehabilitation over mere punishment.

The State of UK Prisons

UK prisons have had a challenging year, grappling with overcrowding, understaffing, and deteriorating conditions. The chief inspector of prisons issued five urgent notifications in the past year—more than in any previous year—highlighting immediate and severe concerns about prison conditions. The prison service even ran out of available spaces, forcing the government to take drastic measures such as holding inmates in police cells, releasing prisoners early, delaying court hearings, and urging judges to consider the strain on the overcrowded system.

Staff shortages and burnout among prison officers further compound these problems. As officers leave in droves, the conditions they face only worsen, making prisons places of despair for both inmates and staff. Self-harm rates are higher than before the pandemic, with incidents among women reaching record levels.

Pia Sinha, Chief Executive of the Prison Reform Trust, emphasizes that as long as the justice system remains in survival mode, prisons will never fulfill their core mission of rehabilitation and public safety. According to Sinha, overcrowding is the biggest barrier to creating safe, decent, and rehabilitative prison environments. Reflecting on her experience as a former governor of HMP Liverpool, she notes that reducing the number of inmates significantly improved conditions and allowed for much-needed reforms.

The High Cost Associated With Prison Sentences

The UK’s over-reliance on imprisonment has far-reaching consequences. As reported this year, Scotland, England, and Wales have the highest imprisonment rates in Western Europe. Over the past 30 years, the prison population has grown by 93%, now standing at nearly 88,000 inmates. Sentences for serious offences have become longer, with the average prison term now nearly two years longer than in 2010. The number of individuals sentenced to 10 years or more has more than doubled in the last decade.

Recent reports also reveal that more than 44,000 people were sent to prison in the year leading up to June 2023, most for non-violent offences. Nearly 40% of these individuals received sentences of six months or less, which research shows are less effective at reducing reoffending compared to community-based alternatives. Despite their proven effectiveness, the use of community sentences has more than halved over the past decade.

2024 Statistics That Highlight the Urgent Need for Change

We have used government data to paint a stark picture of the current state of UK prisons:

High Imprisonment Rates:
Scotland, England, and Wales lead Western Europe in imprisonment rates, indicating a heavy reliance on incarceration as a default response to crime.

Rising Prison Population:
The UK’s prison population has increased by 93% over the past 30 years, with nearly 88,000 people currently behind bars.

Longer Sentences:
For serious offences, the average sentence length has risen to 62.4 months—almost two years longer than in 2010.

Increasing Use of Long Sentences:
The number of people sentenced to 10 years or more has more than doubled since 2010, reflecting a shift toward harsher penalties.

High Numbers of Short Sentences:
Nearly 44,000 people were sent to prison in the past year, with the majority receiving sentences of six months or less. These short sentences are less effective than community sentences at reducing reoffending.

Decline in Community Sentences:
Despite their effectiveness, especially for people with multiple previous offences, young adults, older individuals, and those with mental health problems, community sentences have declined by more than half over the past decade.

What Is The Cost Of A Broken System?

Commentary on the current state of prisons underscores the profound human cost of the UK’s over-reliance on incarceration. Prisons are not just overcrowded; they are places of despair and hopelessness. The high rates of self-harm, particularly among women, reflect the deep psychological toll that prison conditions take on inmates. Staff, too, are burning out, overwhelmed by the pressures of managing overcrowded facilities with inadequate resources.

The PRT emphasizes that this cycle of crisis and failure is not inevitable. By embracing evidence-based policies and focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment, the UK can create a justice system that genuinely serves the needs of communities.

What Is The Vision for the Future?

It is clear that the current approach to criminal justice is unsustainable. However, it cna be argued that crisis can be a catalyst for change. There needs to be a call on the government to seize this moment to present a positive alternative vision for the UK’s justice system, one that is rooted in the values of safety, fairness, and decency.

We could envision a system that prioritizes community sentences over short prison terms, supports rehabilitation, and addresses the root causes of offending behavior. This would not only reduce the burden on prisons but also help to build safer, more resilient communities.

The UK’s prison system is at a critical juncture. The challenges it faces are severe, but they also present an unprecedented opportunity for reform. By moving away from a punitive, crisis-driven approach and embracing evidence-based policies, the UK can create a criminal justice system that is fairer, more effective, and more humane.

The changes proposed by the Prison Reform Trust and Pia Sinha represent a roadmap for this transformation. From reducing reliance on short sentences to expanding the use of community-based alternatives, these reforms have the potential to reshape the UK’s approach to criminal justice. For a system that has been trapped in survival mode for far too long, this is a chance to build a more just and effective future.