On the day 700 prisoners in England and Wales were released early, I was driving to Wolverhampton for an event organised by the not-for-profit group ConnectSport. It was to celebrate local sports clubs and initiatives that “help young people believe in themselves and realise what they’re capable of” as described by Ranjit Singh, a local legend in the world of wrestling, martial arts and Kabaddi.
I listened to several news cycles that detailed the risks of early release pitched against the intractable challenge of insufficient prison capacity. It was presented as a hopeless logjam with no solutions. Tagging was the only option mentioned as a way of reducing reoffending rates.
