30/07/2026
There were more prison recalls than actual prison releases in the first three months of the year. To ease pressure on prisons, we have to tackle recall.
Prison recalls have increased by 31% in the last year alone and have almost tripled in the last five years.
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.
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 – produced with our Experts by Experience - via the link in bio
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