NCJ Number
137951
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 24 Issue: 3 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 204-218
Date Published
1991
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article seeks to place the risk posed by escapees in perspective by presenting information on escapees from New South Wales gaol that is based on a detailed record study of 812 prisoners who escaped during the 6-year period from July 1983 to June 1989.
Abstract
Data were obtained from records of the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services and the New South Wales Police Department. These data showed that escapes were relatively rare occurrences. Most escapes (68.4 percent) occurred from minimum security institutions. A further 12.3 percent of escapes referred to prisoners who failed to return on time from unescorted temporary absence from the gaol. Escapees tended to be younger, more likely to be serving sentences for property offenses, more likely to be held in minimum security, more likely to have lower security classifications, and less likely to be held on remand than prisoners in general. There was no particular point in their sentence when escapees were more likely to escape. While variations in escape patterns and escapee characteristics were observed from year to year, no clear trends over time were noted. More than a fourth of escapees (28.6 percent) were recaptured on either the day they escaped or the following day. Half of escapees were recaptured within 8 days of their escape. The majority of escapees (74.2 percent) were not convicted of any offenses while at large. Of those who were convicted, offenses committed while at large were most commonly property offenses such as breaking and entering or motor vehicle larceny. 17 references, 6 tables, and 1 figure (Author abstract modified)