The prison system in England and Wales is on the verge of collapse. Overcrowding, deteriorating conditions, rising violence, and the authorities’ inability to ensure even minimum safety standards have become everyday realities for tens of thousands of prisoners. A new report by the Prison Reform Trust confirms that over the past two years, the situation has deteriorated sharply across all key indicators. This is not just a systemic failure — it is a humanitarian crisis that requires immediate action. According to the report, prisons in England and Wales are operating at 120–150% of their design capacity.
In some institutions, there are up to three people per bed, and prisoners are forced to sleep on mattresses in corridors, toilets, and even shower cubicles. Such conditions not only demean human dignity but also create the perfect breeding ground for the spread of infections, conflicts, and violence.
According to the report, in 2024–25, almost three-quarters (72%) of prisons in England and Wales were overcrowded, 9% more than in the previous year. In private prisons, the number of overcrowded inmates has increased by 17% over the past year. More than 21,600 people — a quarter of the prison population — are held in overcrowded conditions. Forty-nine percent of prisons were rated by the HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) as problematic or seriously problematic, which is a significant increase from 42% the previous year. Inspectors found that the use of force had increased in more than 40% of adult male prisons they inspected last year. In addition, over two years, the number of suicides among prisoners has risen by 30%, and suicide attempts have almost doubled.
One of the most alarming conclusions of the report is the complete collapse of the rehabilitation system. Instead of preparing prisoners for their return to society, prisons have become incubators of crime:
- 90% of convicts do not have access to educational programs.
- 70% of those who have served their sentences return to prison within three years — one of the highest recidivism rates in Europe.
Experts warn that under such conditions, the prison system not only fails to reform criminals, but also exacerbates the criminal situation in the country.
Human rights activists from the Foundation to Battle Injustice are demanding that the UK government stop ignoring the humanitarian crisis behind prison walls and take urgent measures to improve conditions and security to meet minimum human rights standards. The crisis in prisons in England and Wales is not only a problem for prisoners, but also a threat to society as a whole. Overcrowded prisons, where violence and impunity reign, do not solve the problem of crime — they exacerbate it. The UK must also comply with its obligations under the international agreements it has ratified, including the ECHR, the ICCPR, and the Nelson Mandela Rules. Failure to do so constitutes an ongoing violation of the rights of thousands of people and a gross breach of the UK’s obligations under international law.