UK’s new justice secretary outlines emergency measures to relieve prison overcrowding

Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s new justice secretary has outlined emergency plans to relieve prison overcrowding, including the early release of thousands of prisoners. Shabana Mahmood, who took over with Labour’s election victory earlier this month, argued Friday that the level of overcrowding requires immediate action to pull the justice system from the brink of total breakdown. The short-term fix could include reducing the time some prisoners must serve before being automatically released.