This is the time of year when prisons are quietest. Hundreds of convicts have been let out early in order to reduce pressure over the Christmas and New Year holidays, and the courts have not yet delivered a fresh batch. Supply is also interrupted by cold weather, which makes loitering in dark alleys seem less appealing. Normally, prison governors would expect the number of clients to rise along with spring temperatures, quickly reaching heights well above the previous peak. But they hope this year will be different.
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