Nearly 700 prisoners sentenced under the Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) scheme have been held for more than a decade beyond their original minimum terms, according to recent data, as the government announces plans to phase out these indefinite sentences.

Analysis of current prison records reveals that out of 2,271 inmates still serving IPP sentences, nearly all have passed their minimum tariffs, yet 856 remain incarcerated without ever having been released. The majority of these individuals—around 80 percent—have already spent at least ten years longer than their original terms. One such case is Leroy Douglas, who is scheduled for release after serving 20 years for a mobile phone robbery.

The remaining 1,415 prisoners had been released but were subsequently recalled to custody. Unlike standard recall procedures, which typically involve a fixed 56-day detention period, IPP recall can lead to indefinite imprisonment. This occurs even when the breach involves relatively minor violations, such as missing appointments with probation officers or curfews. Consequently, recalled IPP prisoners serve an average of over two years each time they are returned to prison.

From September 2024 to September 2025, only 24 percent of those recalled faced new allegations of criminal offenses. The rest were detained for failing to comply with licence conditions, including lapses in communication with probation services, failure to stay at approved accommodation, or other behavioral infractions.

Andy Burnham, the Shadow Home Secretary, has committed to introducing legislation before the end of the current parliamentary session to abolish IPP sentences. This move is part of broader efforts to alleviate prison overcrowding and to reform the government’s early release policies.

A government spokesperson emphasized that the process of addressing the IPP issue will prioritize fairness and public safety but acknowledged that resolving the matter will require time. Lord John Thomas, a former senior judge, criticized IPP sentences as a form of “preventative detention” and called for swift action to rectify what he described as a profound injustice.

The IPP scheme, originally intended to protect the public by detaining offenders considered a continuing threat, has faced widespread criticism for resulting in indefinite incarceration without clear avenues for release, contributing to prison system strain and human rights concerns. The forthcoming legislative changes aim to resolve these issues by reviewing affected sentences and providing clearer limits on detention periods.