The number of offenders sentenced to imprisonment for public protection (IPP) and subsequently recalled to prison without facing new charges has seen a dramatic increase. This trend accounted for nearly three-quarters of such returns in the past year.
The IPP scheme, which has faced criticism and was abolished in 2012 (though not retrospectively), often set a low minimum jail term for offenders but did not specify a maximum duration. As a result, these offenders were released on an indefinite licence, making them susceptible to being recalled at any time.
A study by the parliament’s justice committee revealed that reasons for recalling IPP offenders weren’t just limited to new offences. Some were recalled for reasons such as missing appointments, not having appropriate accommodation, or lacking mental health support in the community.
Data obtained through a freedom of information request by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS) highlighted that 461 out of 625 IPP offender recalls last year did not involve new offence charges. This figure has seen an increase of nearly one-third since 2015.
Richard Garside, the director of CCJS, expressed his concerns, stating that many IPP prisoners, despite securing their release, are being unjustly sent back to prison. He emphasised the need for a clear resolution to this ongoing issue.
Recent data indicates that there are currently 2,909 IPP prisoners, with over half of them having been recalled to custody. On average, these offenders spend an additional 26 months in prison post-recall before being released on licence again. This indefinite licence is only reviewed a decade after their release.
Donna Mooney, co-founder of the advocacy group Ungripp, stressed the adverse effects of these recalls, especially when they are due to breaches rather than new crimes. She highlighted the increase in self-inflicted deaths among IPP prisoners on recall in recent years.
The justice committee’s report also pointed out the lack of suitable accommodation as a primary reason for these recalls. Sara Ramsden shared her personal experience, mentioning that her partner, Rob Dutton, faced recall multiple times, once even for expressing thoughts of drug use. She described the constant fear and uncertainty that families and offenders face due to the power of recall.
In response, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice stated that offenders are frequently recalled for breaching licence conditions, especially when there’s a perceived increase in their risk to the public.