Automatic Release (Hansard, 14 March 2000)

§ Mr. Boateng

Prisoners sentenced to less than 12 months are released automatically half way through their sentence unless additional days have been imposed for breaches of discipline. These prisoners will be "at risk" until the end of their sentence; that is, if they commit a further imprisonable offence before the end of their original sentence, the court dealing with the new offence may add all or part of the outstanding sentence to any new sentence it imposes. The effect of stopping automatic unconditional release would be approximately to double the number of prisoners currently serving sentences of up to 12 months, which at the end of January 2000 was 7,200.

Prisoners sentenced to 12 months or more but less than four years are released automatically half way through their sentence (subject to additional days). They are released on licence and subject to supervision up to the three-quarter point of their sentence (or to the end in the case of some sex offenders) and are "at risk" until the end of their original sentence. The effect of stopping automatic conditional release would be to double the number of prisoners currently serving sentences of 12 months and up to four years, which at the end of January 2000 was 19,400.

Those sentenced to four years or more are eligible for parole half way through their sentence. If parole is not granted then or at a subsequent parole review, release occurs at the two-thirds point of the sentence. Release is on licence and subject to supervision up to the three-quarters point of the sentence (or to the end in the case of some sex offenders). All are "at risk" until the end of their original sentence. The effect of stopping discretionary release could be to increase the number of prisoners serving determinate sentences of four years or more by up to 20,000.

These estimates assume no change in sentencing practice by the courts.