Prison and probation are rarely out of the news for long. On this page we round up the latest genuine stories from the national press, TV and radio that matter to prisoners, their families, and victims of crime – things like sentencing policy, prison conditions, early release, and the wider justice system.
Each story below is a short, plain-English summary with a link to the original report, so you can read the full thing and make your own mind up. These links aren’t amended or censored in any way, and the views expressed in them are neither endorsed nor denied by DoingTime – you have to make your own mind up!
This page updates automatically, with the newest story added to the top of the list below. We show the seven most recent stories – older ones drop off this list but stay live on the site if you’ve been sent a direct link.
| Lancashire prison to gain 240 extra places – HMP Lancaster Farms is getting four new houseblocks, boosting capacity from 584 to 824 places. 14 September 2026 | Prison expansion brings new cells and jobs to the North East – Construction begins on 152 new places at HMP Kirklevington Grange near Yarm. 14 September 2026 |
| Martin Jones reappointed as HM Chief Inspector of Probation – Martin Jones will serve a second three-year term inspecting probation and youth justice services. 8 September 2026 | Chief Inspector warns overcrowding will remain despite prison expansion plans – Charlie Taylor says the prison system remains fragile even as thousands more places are added. 4 September 2026 |
| Early release scheme: who’s excluded, and what happens on licence – the government confirms who won’t qualify for automatic early release from 1 October, and the tighter licence conditions – including tagging and exclusion zones – for those who do. 3 September 2026 | Prison Reform Trust: more capacity won’t fix the root problem – the Trust says the government’s building plans treat the symptoms of the prison crisis, not the causes. 2 September 2026 |
| Inspectors warn drugs are undermining safety at HMP Lindholme – inspectors find drug use is undermining safety at HMP Lindholme, contributing to at least one death. 1 September 2026 |