Overcrowding forces release of UK prisoners
人满为患迫使英国释放囚犯
Chronic overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales forced the United Kingdom government to release 1,700 inmates on Tuesday, in a move that has been criticized by victims' advocates and opposition lawmakers.
英格兰和威尔士的监狱长期面临人满为患的问题，迫使英国政府在周二额外释放了1700名囚犯，这一举措引发了受害者权益倡导者和反对党议员的强烈批评。
The mass release, which was made in addition to the usual weekly release of around 1,000 inmates, came as the UK's prison population passed 88,000, and as institutions hit breaking point.
此次大规模释放是在每周例行释放约1000名囚犯的基础上进行的，当时英国的监狱人口已超过88000人，监狱系统已不堪重负。
The prison population, which is the largest it has ever been, grew by more than 1,100 during August, as people were sentenced following anti-immigrant riots that swept the country.
监狱人口创历史新高，8月份增长了1100多人，因为该国发生反移民骚乱后，许多人被判刑。
The ruling Labour Party, which swept to power in the general election on July 4, said the previous Conservative Party administration was to blame for the lack of prison space following years of underinvestment. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the system was at "crisis point".
7月4日大选中大获全胜的执政党工党表示，多年来对监狱系统的投资不足，导致监狱空间短缺，前保守党政府应对此负责。首相基尔·斯塔默表示，监狱系统已“陷入危机”。
Jonathan Reynolds, the UK's minister for business, explained on the BBC's Breakfast program that victims were being told about prisoners' early release "where it's relevant". "Most British people would say it should never get to this point and I understand those concerns," he said.
英国商务大臣乔纳森·雷诺兹在英国广播公司《早餐》节目中解释说，已向受害者通报了囚犯提前释放的“相关情况”。他说：“大多数英国人都会说，这种情况绝不应该发生，我理解这些担忧。”
Reynolds said the authorities had put "many safeguards" in place to protect the public. He said domestic abusers, sex offenders, terrorists, and other violent offenders were not eligible for early release under the policy that calls for non-violent prisoners sentenced to less than five years to be freed after serving 40 percent of their term, instead of the previous 50 percent.
雷诺兹表示，当局已采取“许多保障措施”来保护公众。他强调，根据政策规定，只有那些被判非暴力的囚犯，在服满刑期40%（而非之前的50%）后才有可能获得提前释放。而家庭暴力者、性犯罪者、恐怖分子和其他暴力罪犯则不符合这一政策条件。
The government says the change will free up 5,500 spaces. But Helen Newlove, the victim's commissioner for England and Wales, told the BBC she was "concerned about the impact of these early releases on victims' confidence in our justice system". "Victim safety must remain the absolute priority," she said.
政府表示，此次改革将腾出5500个监狱空间。但英格兰和威尔士的受害者专员海伦·纽洛夫告诉英国广播公司，她对“这些提前释放对受害者对我们司法系统信心的影响”感到担忧。她说：“受害者的安全必须始终是绝对优先事项。”
The Conservative Party said the government had mismanaged the situation and created "serious public concern" as a result. Mel Stride, the party's spokesperson on work and pensions, said he was concerned some prisoners would be freed without a home to go to.
保守党表示，政府管理不善，导致“引发了公众的严重担忧”。该党的工作与养老金事务发言人梅尔·斯特莱德表示，他担心一些囚犯在被释放后将无家可归。
"We're not getting satisfactory answers as to whether appropriate accommodation is actually being provided for those prisoners that are being released," he said. "And in the event it is not, we know the chances of reoffending increase very significantly."
他说：“我们没有得到令人满意的答案，即是否正在为这些被释放的囚犯提供适当的住所。而如果没有的话，我们知道他们再次犯罪的几率会大大增加。”
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor agreed, telling the Associated Press: "It's inevitable that some of these prisoners will get recalled to custody and it's inevitable that some of them will go out homeless."
监狱督察长查理·泰勒也持相同观点，他告诉美联社：“不可避免地，一些囚犯将被重新召回拘留所，而且一些囚犯在出狱后可能会无家可归。”
He said in his annual report on the state of UK prisons that the number of people in custody will grow by 27,000 by 2028, but that construction is unlikely to keep up.
他在关于英国监狱状况的年度报告中表示，到2028年，监狱在押人数将增加27000人，但监狱建设却不太可能跟上这一增长。
The Prison Reform Trust said the UK's overcrowded prisons now mean inmates are simply being "warehoused" and do not have adequate access to education, training, and work.
监狱改革信托基金会则指出，英国监狱目前过度拥挤，囚犯们只是被“关押”起来，缺乏足够的教育、培训和就业机会。
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