Prison overcrowding: Can the police and the courts cope? 

An emergency plan to try to ease prison overcrowding has been started by the government – as courts continue to hear cases involving those accused of rioting earlier in the month.  
 
Across northern England and parts of the Midlands, those waiting for a court appearance will now be held in police cells until there’s a prison place for them. 
 
“Operation Early Dawn” was started on Monday morning. 
 
On this episode, Niall Paterson assess the potential impact on courts and the police. 
 
He speaks to Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, Philip Jones, custody lead at the National Police Federation and Sky communities correspondent, Becky Johnson.  
  
Becky also explains the context and longer-term plan for the prison system. 

Producers: Soila Apparicio, Emma Rae Woodhouse 
Editor: Paul Stanworth