Public protection
To protect the public, prisons must hold prisoners securely. This not only prevents further offences being committed, but is an important foundation for the wider work of prisons in reforming offenders.
Visit prisons and probation statistics for data sources and more details.
A prisoner escapes from prison if they unlawfully gain their liberty (for 15 minutes or more) by breaching the secure perimeter of a closed prison, or if during prison staff escort, overcome the control of escorting staff and leave the escort, the van or the building (hospital etc.). Those who escape for less than 15 minutes and commit an offence are also recorded as an escape.
Escapes are monitored to analyse the frequency across the estate and identify any trends nationally, also taking into consideration the management of risk to the public.
| Period | Escapes from prison establishments and HMPPS escort |
|---|---|
| Apr 1995 to Mar 1996 | 88 |
| Apr 1996 to Mar 1997 | 53 |
| Apr 1997 to Mar 1998 | 33 |
| Apr 1998 to Mar 1999 | 35 |
| Apr 1999 to Mar 2000 | 38 |
| Apr 2000 to Mar 2001 | 19 |
| Apr 2001 to Mar 2002 | 26 |
| Apr 2002 to Mar 2003 | 17 |
| Apr 2003 to Mar 2004 | 16 |
| Apr 2004 to Mar 2005 | 20 |
| Apr 2005 to Mar 2006 | 11 |
| Apr 2006 to Mar 2007 | 8 |
| Apr 2007 to Mar 2008 | 6 |
| Apr 2008 to Mar 2009 | 5 |
| Apr 2009 to Mar 2010 | 5 |
| Apr 2010 to Mar 2011 | 2 |
| Apr 2011 to Mar 2012 | 4 |
| Apr 2012 to Mar 2013 | 1 |
| Apr 2013 to Mar 2014 | 4 |
| Apr 2014 to Mar 2015 | 1 |
| Apr 2015 to Mar 2016 | 5 |
| Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 | 7 |
| Apr 2017 to Mar 2018 | 4 |
| Apr 2018 to Mar 2019 | 3 |
| Apr 2019 to Mar 2020 | 2 |
| Apr 2020 to Mar 2021 | 0 |
| Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 | 1 |
Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 1
Data source HM Prison and Probation Service annual digest
Published: 28 July 2022.
Escapes from contractor escorts
A prisoner escapes from escort if they unlawfully gain their liberty (for 15 minutes or more) by overcoming the control of escorting staff and leave the escort, the van or the building (hospital etc.). Those who escape for less than 15 minutes and commit an offence are also recorded as an escape.
Escapes are monitored to analyse the frequency across the estate and identify any trends nationally, also taking into consideration the management of risk to the public.
| Period | Escapes from contractor escorts |
|---|---|
| Apr 1995 to Mar 1996 | 34 |
| Apr 1996 to Mar 1997 | 78 |
| Apr 1997 to Mar 1998 | 72 |
| Apr 1998 to Mar 1999 | 55 |
| Apr 1999 to Mar 2000 | 59 |
| Apr 2000 to Mar 2001 | 58 |
| Apr 2001 to Mar 2002 | 40 |
| Apr 2002 to Mar 2003 | 33 |
| Apr 2003 to Mar 2004 | 33 |
| Apr 2004 to Mar 2005 | 28 |
| Apr 2005 to Mar 2006 | 17 |
| Apr 2006 to Mar 2007 | 19 |
| Apr 2007 to Mar 2008 | 16 |
| Apr 2008 to Mar 2009 | 15 |
| Apr 2009 to Mar 2010 | 12 |
| Apr 2010 to Mar 2011 | 10 |
| Apr 2011 to Mar 2012 | 13 |
| Apr 2012 to Mar 2013 | 9 |
| Apr 2013 to Mar 2014 | 9 |
| Apr 2014 to Mar 2015 | 12 |
| Apr 2015 to Mar 2016 | 8 |
| Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 | 8 |
| Apr 2017 to Mar 2018 | 9 |
| Apr 2018 to Mar 2019 | 6 |
| Apr 2019 to Mar 2020 | 14 |
| Apr 2020 to Mar 2021 | 5 |
| Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 | 11 |
Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 11
Data source HM Prison and Probation Service annual digest
Published: 28 July 2022.
An abscond is an escape that does not involve overcoming a physical security restraint such as that provided by a wall or fence, locks, bolts or bars, a secure vehicle, handcuffs or the direct supervision of staff.
Absconds are monitored to analyse the frequency across the open estate and identify any trends nationally also taking into consideration, the management of risk to the public. It is only possible to abscond from open prison conditions.
| Period | Absconds |
|---|---|
| Apr 1995 to Mar 1996 | 956 |
| Apr 1996 to Mar 1997 | 1,115 |
| Apr 1997 to Mar 1998 | 1,056 |
| Apr 1998 to Mar 1999 | 965 |
| Apr 1999 to Mar 2000 | 907 |
| Apr 2000 to Mar 2001 | 787 |
| Apr 2001 to Mar 2002 | 781 |
| Apr 2002 to Mar 2003 | 947 |
| Apr 2003 to Mar 2004 | 1,301 |
| Apr 2004 to Mar 2005 | 870 |
| Apr 2005 to Mar 2006 | 709 |
| Apr 2006 to Mar 2007 | 553 |
| Apr 2007 to Mar 2008 | 511 |
| Apr 2008 to Mar 2009 | 361 |
| Apr 2009 to Mar 2010 | 269 |
| Apr 2010 to Mar 2011 | 235 |
| Apr 2011 to Mar 2012 | 175 |
| Apr 2012 to Mar 2013 | 204 |
| Apr 2013 to Mar 2014 | 225 |
| Apr 2014 to Mar 2015 | 181 |
| Apr 2015 to Mar 2016 | 105 |
| Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 | 86 |
| Apr 2017 to Mar 2018 | 139 |
| Apr 2018 to Mar 2019 | 119 |
| Apr 2019 to Mar 2020 | 143 |
| Apr 2020 to Mar 2021 | 101 |
| Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 | 95 |
Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 95
Data source HM Prison and Probation Service annual digest
Published: 28 July 2022.
Release On Temporary Licence (ROTL) allows eligible prisoners to be temporarily released for precisely defined activities that cannot be provided in prisons.
A failure occurs when a prisoner fails to adhere to any condition written into the licence that permits their temporary release. Such conditions include the date and time by which the prisoner is required to return to the prison and may also place restrictions on where the prisoner may go and whom they may visit during the period of release.
Prisoners must be fully risk assessed before release is granted and must sign a temporary release licence setting out the applicable conditions and the duration of the licence.
| Period | Temporary release failures |
|---|---|
| Apr 2004 to Mar 2005 | 392 |
| Apr 2005 to Mar 2006 | 365 |
| Apr 2006 to Mar 2007 | 316 |
| Apr 2007 to Mar 2008 | 249 |
| Apr 2008 to Mar 2009 | 276 |
| Apr 2009 to Mar 2010 | 272 |
| Apr 2010 to Mar 2011 | 285 |
| Apr 2011 to Mar 2012 | 405 |
| Apr 2012 to Mar 2013 | 430 |
| Apr 2013 to Mar 2014 | 370 |
| Apr 2014 to Mar 2015 | 195 |
| Apr 2015 to Mar 2016 | 162 |
| Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 | 267 |
| Apr 2017 to Mar 2018 | 350 |
| Apr 2018 to Mar 2019 | 543 |
| Apr 2019 to Mar 2020 | 686 |
| Apr 2020 to Mar 2021 | 87 |
| Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 | 529 |
Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 529
Data source HM Prison and Probation Service annual digest
Published: 28 July 2022.
An internal audit that assesses, on a four point scale, the level to which effective security procedures are adhered to within each prison.
There is no structured frequency for how often the security audit takes place, with the exception of long term high security prison establishments which are audited annually. The data presented here shows the most recent assessment for each prison establishment.
The summary percentage is based on audits published internally by HMPPS. The annual prison performance ratings publication includes audits which had not been published when it was released and were therefore suppressed from the data tables. Including these suppressed scores, the overall percentage of prisons scoring a 3 or 4 is 85.8%
Values:
- Rating 1: 6 prisons
- Rating 2: 11 prisons
- Rating 3: 63 prisons
- Rating 4: 40 prisons
Data source: Prison performance ratings (annual)
Published: 28 July 2022.
Rating 4
| Security audit | Count |
|---|---|
| Rating 1 | 6 prisons |
| Rating 2 | 11 prisons |
| Rating 3 | 63 prisons |
| Rating 4 | 40 prisons |