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<p /> <p>The below table provides the number of prisoners serving sentences currently
and residing in open prisons, by sentence length.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td
colspan="8"><p><strong>Prisoners serving an immediate custodial sentence in open prisons,
30 September 2014, England and Wales</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sentence
length</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>30-Sep-14</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Less
than or equal to 6 months</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>More than
6 months to less than 12 months</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12
months to less than 4 years</p></td><td><p>820</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4 years
or more (excluding indeterminate)</p></td><td><p>2,167</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Indeterminate
sentences</p></td><td><p>1,038</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Recall</p></td><td><p>43</p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>All sentenced prisoners</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4,147</strong></p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4" rowspan="2"><p>The figures in these
tables have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale
recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.</p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><p>This data does
not include untried, convicted unsentenced, fine defaulter or non-criminal prisoners.</p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>There are two means by which indeterminate sentenced prisoners (ISPs – both
those serving life and indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs)) – are
considered for transfer to open conditions. The principal means is by way of a positive
recommendation from the independent Parole Board, which falls to officials either
to accept or reject on behalf of the Secretary of State, under agreed delegated authority.
However, ISPs may also apply to progress to open conditions without Parole Board involvement,
where they can show exceptional progress in reducing their risk. Each application
is determined on its merits under agreed delegated authority from the Secretary of
State by officials in the Offender Management and Public Protection Group in the Ministry
of Justice.</p><p> </p><p>Determinate sentenced prisoners are assessed for their suitability
for open conditions by experienced prison staff with relevant input from offender
managers and other professionals within the prison. The assessment will consider the
extent to which the prisoner has reduced identified risks and any intelligence or
other information that provides evidence of the prisoner’s trustworthiness for conditions
of very low security. Determinate sentence prisoners should not generally be moved
to open prison if they have more than two years to serve to their earliest release
date, unless assessment of a prisoner’s individual risks and needs support earlier
categorisation to open conditions. Such cases must have the reasons for their categorisation
fully documented and confirmed in writing by the Governing Governor.</p><p> </p><p>All
offenders located in open conditions have been rigorously risk assessed and their
risks have been deemed manageable in open conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The public have
understandable concerns about the failure of some prisoners to return from temporary
release from open prison. Keeping the public safe is our priority and we will not
allow the actions of a small minority of offenders to undermine public confidence
in the prison system. The number of temporary release failures remains very low; less
that one failure in every 1,000 releases and about five in every 100,000 releases
involving alleged offending, but we take each and every incident seriously. The Government
has already ordered immediate changes to tighten up the system as a matter of urgency.
Prisoners are now no longer eligible for transfer to open conditions if they have
previously absconded from open prisons; or if they have failed to return or reoffended
whilst released on temporary licence, unless there are exceptional circumstances.</p>
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