Record numbers of offenders are being recalled to prison in England and Wales with union officials claiming that some are deliberately breaking the terms of their probation in order to deal drugs in prison.

Prison sources said that after the implementation of early release schemes, as many as 5,000 men were recalled in December alone – more than a third of the total number released in the year to June 2025.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) claimed many were deliberately breaking the terms of their licence so they could profit from a lucrative drugs market in jail.

There are concerns too many prisoners are being released into the community without housing or support under early release schemes launched to ease the prison overcrowding crisis.

Under the current system, prisoners serving sentences for less serious crimes can be freed after serving 40% of their jail terms, instead of the previous 50%. From the autumn, prisoners are expected to have their release dates brought forward so they will be eligible for release after serving a third of their sentence.

Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the POA, said his members had found many recalled prisoners were deliberately returning to deal drugs. “HMPPS must listen to the voice of the frontline and ensure that recalled prisoners receive their basic entitlements and nothing more. We know many recalls deliberately return to traffic illicit drugs. We must ensure the regime for recalled prisoners is robust and austere,” he said.

The recalled prisoner population more than doubled from approximately 6,300 in June 2018 to 13,500 in June 2025, contributing to the prisons crisis. The latest quarterly figures, to be released on Thursday, are expected to show a further rise over the three months to September.

More than half of recalls are associated with non-compliance with licence conditions, such as failure to keep in touch with probation and failure to reside in approved premises. About 20% of recalls are for those facing a further offence charge.

About 6,000 probation officers in England and Wales are being asked to supervise more than 240,000 people in the community, including greater numbers of dangerous former prisoners.

The growing workload on probation officers is adding to the number of recalls, according to Tania Bassett, a national official at the probation officers’ union Napo. “Whilst we recognise recall increases around Christmas, these figures suggest a far more deeply rooted issue. Probation is in a staffing and workload crisis and has been for years. This results in a risk adverse workforce who will recall because they simply don’t have the time or space to engage with people,” she said.

A report by the prisons watchdog in October warned that drugs in jails were easy to acquire, with prisoners being offered a “menu of drugs” at a hundred times their street value.

The Sentencing Act, which received royal assent last week, is meant to update recall policies and reduce the size of the recall population. Ministers are ending the use of short-term recalls of 14 and 28 days, and instead those who return to jail for breaching licence conditions will be able to be released after 56 days.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Public protection is our priority so offenders out on licence face strict conditions such as being tagged and can be hauled back to prison if they break these rules. Since 2018, recalled offenders have doubled – a symptom of the prison crisis this government inherited. That’s why we’re reforming recall and building 14,000 extra places, to make sure punishment cuts crime, reduces reoffending and keeps victims safe.”