Police officers lead away a man following a raid on a property in Pimlico. London.
Police officers lead away a man following a raid on a property in Pimlico, London. Reuters

The number of people incarcerated in England and Wales has reached an all-time high following the arrests of hundreds of suspects in this week's massive outbreak of rioting and looting.

The Ministry of Justice reports Friday that England and Wales have 85,324 prison and jail inmates, less than 2,000 below capacity.

The ministry said, however, it is "fairly confident" it can find the "headroom" it needs in prisons to make space for additional detainees. Among measures considered are putting extra beds in two-person cells so they can hold three inmates.

The Youth Justice Board also said there is "ample" capacity in secure children's homes and secure training centers that detain offenders as young as 10 years old.

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