More Prisoners Recalled Than Released in England and Wales for First Time on Record

In Q1 2026, England and Wales recalled 13,193 prisoners for licence breaches while releasing 12,977 — 101 recalls per 100 releases, the first time the rate has surpassed 100%. A decade ago it was 30 per 100. The Ministry of Justice attributes the rise partly to early release schemes that enlarged the supervised population. Annual recalls hit a record 51,419, mostly for administrative breaches, not new offences.