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<p /> <p /> <p>We do not centrally hold data on the number of prisoners transferred
from closed to open prisons for the time period requested – or the type of sentence
which they were serving. Consequently, the information requested could be obtained
only at disproportionate cost, as it would involve a manual trawl through the records
of every prisoner who has formed part of the prison population since 2010, to identify
if they had/have ever been held in open conditions during the time period requested.</p><p>
</p><p>Determinate sentence prisoners should not generally be moved to open prison
if they have more than 2 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>Indeterminate sentence
prisoners do not have fixed release dates, so even if the data on transfers was readily
available, it would not be possible to identify a length of time left to be served
in these cases.</p><p> </p><p>Depending on the length of tariff and the risk they
pose, indeterminate sentenced prisoners (ISPs – both those serving life and IPP sentences)
move through their sentence via a series of progressive transfers into lower security
establishments in the closed estate and then usually into open conditions. ISPs may
be considered for transfer to open conditions up to 3 years before the expiry of their
minimum tariff. The decision to transfer ISPs to open conditions is a categorisation
decision which is a matter for the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may
take this decision after seeking advice from the Parole Board - or without seeking
advice from the Board, where the prisoners demonstrate exceptional progress.</p><p>
</p><p>Placing a prisoner in open conditions serves two main purposes. Firstly, it
facilitates the eventual resettlement of prisoners into the community, in conditions
more similar to those that they will face in the community than closed conditions
can provide. Secondly, it allows for risk to be assessed in order to inform release
decisions and, should the prisoner secure release, to inform risk management plans
for ongoing supervision in the community. Thus, for many prisoners who have spent
a considerable amount of time in custody, this can assist in their successful reintegration
in the community and help protect the public. To release these prisoners directly
from a closed prison without the resettlement benefits of the open estate could lead
to higher levels of post-release re-offending.</p><p> </p><p>Keeping the public safe
is our priority. That is why this Government has taken action on both releases on
temporary licence (ROTL) and absconds from prison. We commissioned a fundamental review
of ROTL policy and practice last year and, in March, announced a package of measures
to ensure that the public was properly protected. We have brought forward some of
those measures so that they begin to take effect immediately; particularly with more
serious offenders, where the review concluded that an enhanced risk assessment approach
should be taken.</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. With immediate effect, prisoners will no longer
be transferred 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.</p><p>
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