To ease pressure on prisons, we have to tackle recall.
As the debate continues around early release and prison capacity, today’s Government figures shine a light on one of the biggest barriers to successful resettlement: prison recall.
Prison recalls have increased by 31% in the last year alone and have almost tripled in the last five years. In the first three months of this year, there were more prison recalls than prison releases.
Here’s what is actually happening behind those numbers.
- 78% of recalls are not down to a new offence. Instead, many stem from missed appointments, administrative errors, or communication failures completely beyond a person’s control and with little to do with public safety.
- Recall undoes progress overnight. When someone on licence is sent back to prison – even for just a few days – they can lose their housing, their job, and the vital support systems they worked so hard to build to live life differently.
Take Switchback Trainee, Kareem. On the day he left prison, he was told to arrive at his Approved Premises by 8pm. But the address he was given had no door number.
After running up and down the road trying to find it, he eventually arrived, only to be told his curfew had actually been 7pm. He was recalled the following morning.
There are countless other stories like Kareem’s.
We work with young men who are doing everything they can do to live life differently, only to see their progress undone by a system that is supposed to support them.
Our work shows that pressure across the wider justice system, particularly within probation, is contributing to the sharp rise in recall numbers. High probation caseloads, reduced professional confidence and a culture shaped by fear of blame when things go wrong appear to be driving unnecessary recalls for non-compliance, rather than genuine risks to public safety
Our research, co-produced with our Experts by Experience, shows that change is possible. We believe these three things would make the biggest difference:
- Make recall a genuine last resort, not a default setting.
- Consistent 1-to-1 support and clear communication to stop people falling through administrative cracks.
- Introduce a National Resettlement Framework that provides solid foundations for everyone leaving prison—guaranteed access to bare essentials like housing, healthcare, benefits, and employment support
Read our recall research report – co-produced with our Experts by Experience below:
