Every victim deserves the right to know if the offender of a crime against them is being released early, according to a charity’s call. Victims’ Support’s leader expressed concern over the limited access victims have to information about early release. The government has faced criticism for notifying sex abuse survivors about their attacker’s early release.

Victim Support’s Chief Executive emphasized the importance of prioritizing victims in addressing prison overcrowding. She highlighted the distress and fear victims may experience upon learning offenders could be released earlier than expected. The charity stressed the need for all affected individuals to easily discover how changes in offenders’ sentences impact them.

Currently, victims eligible for the Victim Contact Scheme can learn about changes in an offender’s sentence, but this does not cover all cases. The charity warns that the lack of transparency regarding early release could erode trust in the justice system. They urge the government to ensure all victims have access to information about sentence changes.

The Ministry of Justice introduced early release measures to prevent prison overcrowding by November. Those eligible for early release will face strict monitoring, such as tagging, and enhanced probation services. Eligible prisoners can now be released after serving a certain percentage of their sentence, with the earliest release date for certain offenses moved up.

The government stated that public safety and victim support are top priorities. Measures have been put in place to prevent the release of dangerous offenders and to ensure supervision of released inmates. Victims who opt into the Victim Contact Scheme will be informed of an offender’s release, unlike under previous schemes.

Ministers are committed to providing victims with a clear process to request information on an offender’s release. Recent discussions with victim support organizations indicate ongoing collaboration with the government on this issue.