Alex South, a former prison officer and author of the memoir Behind These Doors, has stated that prisons are characterised by violence and isolation, with little focus on rehabilitation. South's comments come as a new series of the BBC prison drama Time airs, which depicts a fictional young offender institution, HMYOI Alderwick, as a place of anger and limited activity.
The Sentencing Act 2026 permits prisoners serving standard determinate sentences to be released after completing only a third of their sentence. This early-release scheme aims to alleviate the prison capacity crisis, but its effectiveness is questioned due to recent recall rates.
South notes that many institutions are similar to the fictional Alderwick, lacking education and libraries, with prisoners often confined to their cells for extended periods. A report this year on children in custody found that in almost all youth custody establishments, prisoners were locked behind their doors for as long as 19 hours a day. The current system is described as overstretched and understaffed, hindering integration, socialisation, and opportunities for conflict resolution.
With 80% of all offending in England and Wales being reoffending, South suggests that only a small minority of individuals are changed for the better upon release.