The UK government has implemented emergency measures to address prison overcrowding caused by increased sentencing following recent riots. Operation Early Dawn, previously used in May, sees defendants in northern England held in police cells until prison space becomes available. This comes as the government tackles “violent thuggery” and more than 1,000 people have been arrested for riot-related offenses. While the government seeks to maintain public safety, concerns about the impact of these measures on the justice system persist.