Research and analysis from impartial experts
On 27 April 2020 the Justice Secretary said that the numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths in prisons were lower than had been originally predicted and that prisons were coping and dealing well with the threat of covid-19. …
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This House of Commons Briefing Paper analyses the debate over the voting rights of prisoners since May 2015, it also includes a concise summary of the main developments before May 2015. …
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A Westminster Hall debate on health and safety for prison staff is scheduled for Wednesday 18 March 2020 at 9.30am. The Member leading the debate is Grahame Morris MP.…
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The Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Bill 2019-20 was introduced on 11 February 2020. All stages in the House of Commons are due to take place on 12 February 2020. The Bill has been introduced in response to the terrorist attacks on London Bridge in November 2019 and in Streatham in February 2020. The offenders in each of these attacks had been released from prison automatically without the involvement of the Parole Board. The Bill would end the automatic early release of certain terrorist offenders.
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The Prisoners (Disclosure of Information about Victims) Bill 2019-20 was introduced in the House of Commons on 8 January 2020. It is due to have Second Reading on 11 February 2020.…
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Children remanded or sentenced to custody are placed in a Young Offenders Institution, a Secure Training Centre or a Secure Children’s Home. Concerns have been raised about the current provision of youth custody, The Government has accepted proposals to introduce secure schools.…
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This briefing describes the statutory framework governing the release of prisoners in England and Wales and Government proposals to change them.…
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The day before Parliament dissolved to hold the general election the Government announced a review of police bail legislation. …
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There has been a decline in prison safety since 2012. Assaults and incidents of self-harm are at record highs and the number of self-inflicted deaths has risen. Chief Inspectors of Prisons, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, Independent Monitoring Boards and the Justice Committee have all repeatedly expressed concern. HM Prisons and Probation Service has a national strategy for safety. The Justice Committee has called for an overarching and integrated prisons strategy.…
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This briefing describes the prison estate in England and Wales. It discusses conditions in the estate and the Government’s ‘Prison Estate Transformation Programme’.…
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This House of Commons Library briefing paper examines suicide prevention policies and strategies throughout the UK. It outlines national and local approaches to prevention policy in England, as well as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It does so by considering the strategies of the UK Government, as well as the devolved administrations, from various policy perspectives.…
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This is a debate pack on the spending of the Ministry of Justice, covering prisons, probation, courts, and legal aid as well as overall spending trends.…
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The parole system determines which prisoners, who have been sentenced to indeterminate and certain determinate sentences, can be released early subject to certain conditions. In England and Wales this system is overseen by the Parole Board.…
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This briefing paper explores prison population data for the UK from the Ministry of Justice, Scottish Government, and the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.…
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A Westminster Hall debate on Female Offender Strategy One Year On is scheduled for Wednesday 24 July 2019 at 2.30 pm. The Member leading the debate is Kate Green MP…
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Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) allows prisoners to be released temporarily into the community for specific purposes such as to engage in employment, to maintain family ties or to receive medical treatment. Not every prisoner is eligible to be released on temporary licence. Some, such as those posing the highest security threat are barred altogether. …
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