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Prisons will still function under plans to turn laundries into cells, Justice Secretary claims

He declined to confirm Tory claims that there are 700 fewer prison places than a year ago, noting that the estate “fluctuates” because of issues such as fire damage. Mr Norris was touring broadcast studios on Tuesday ahead of announcing in Parliament that the Government will speed up the building… Alex Norris, the Justice Secretary, said “hundreds of places” would be created by converting existing spaces inside prisons - like laundries - into accommodation....

'We are setting prisoners up to fail... they are placed in inappropriate homes after their release'

The number, according to a Guardian investigation in May, is the highest figure since records began in 2021, with many in the sector describing how releasing inmates back into society without accommodation was a main driver behind the deaths. Analysis also noted that reports from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman… New data has shown that in 2025, 77 people died within 14 days of being released from prison in England and Wales, which was a 28 percent increase on the previous 12 months....

Prison service 'now in crisis' as system is 'understaffed, underinvested in and overwhelmed'

The subject has become the centrepoint of criminal justice discussion after it emerged two people who killed Thames Valley Police’s PC Andrew Harper – Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers – were set to be released early. Cole and Bowers remain eligible for early release after their convictions for manslaughter a… Nick Smart, the president of the Police Superintendents' Association (PSA) has joined the growing number of voices to criticise the Government's early release scheme. ...

Probation service launches new recruitment drive to secure next generation of officers

Trainees complete the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) over 15, 21 or 27 months, depending on existing qualifications. Probation officers supervise people on probation, manage risk and support rehabilitation. They work across the justice system to tackle the root causes of reoffending, including substance misuse, housing instability and unemployment. The… The Government is recruiting an additional 1,300 trainee Probation Officers across 2026/27, on top of the 2,300 already pledged to be brought in since 2024. ...

AI court errors would be ‘too much for society to comprehend’

Mr Lammy was speaking after announcing that virtual legal assistants powered by AI will be rolled out to crown courts across the country in an effort to tackle the rising backlog of cases. The assistants will be trialled in controlled environments before being used by judges and lawyers, the Ministry… That's the view of Justice Secretary David Lammy, who said there are teams within Government working to make sure the effects of so-called AI hallucinations “are not overly significant”....

Courts to get ‘AI legal assistants’ to tackle rising case backlog

Ministers say the technology will help legal professionals get cases moving faster. The AI assistants will be trialled in controlled environments before being used by judges and lawyers, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said. Judges will also have access to an AI tool for finding trial-ready cases and group similar… Virtual legal assistants powered by artificial intelligence will be rolled out to Crown Courts across the country in an effort to tackle the rising backlog of cases, the Government has announced....