Britain's prison population drops to its lowest level in eight years as convicts are SET FREE to relieve pressure on overcrowded jails

The number of early releases has grown by over 50 per cent since new rules were launched

Inmates tagged and put on home detention curfew (HDC) has grown from 2,196 in January to 3,304 yesterday

Prison reformers said that the last time it was this low was in January 2010, when it was 82, 653

By LAURA FORSYTH FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 11:19 BST, 23 June 2018 | UPDATED: 11:30 BST, 23 June 2018

A rise in the amount of inmates that have been released early has contributed to the lowest prison population in eight years.

The number of early releases has grown by over 50 per cent since new rules were launched six months ago to relieve pressure on overcrowded jails.

According to figures from the Ministry of Justice, the number of inmates tagged and put on home detention curfew (HDC) has grown from 2,196 in January to 3,304 yesterday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5877007/Prison-population-l...