NCJ Number
133123
Date Published
1991
Length
31 pages
Annotation
Over 81,500 offenses against prison discipline in England and Wales were punished in 1990, and the number of offenses punished per head of average population was 1.8.
Abstract
Boards of Visitors punished 5.5 percent of the offenses in 1990, the highest proportion recorded since 1980. Offenses for which punishments were most frequently awarded included disobedience or disrespect (including abusive language) and other offense groups (primarily offenses against good order and discipline). In male prisons and remand centers, nearly 150 offenses were punished per 100 population. This was higher than the 1989 level and the highest figure recorded since 1980. Offenses of disobedience or disrespect consistently accounted for nearly half of this total. Offenses involving violence against the person represented 14 percent of offenses punished. The average number of punishments in male establishments was 1.6 per offense, compared with 1.5 for females. The highest number of punishments per offense was 2 at remand centers, and the lowest was 1.2 in open prisons. In male facilities, forfeiture of remission accounted for 38 percent of all punishments awarded; stoppage or reduction of earnings contributed another 26 percent. Over 34,000 awards of forfeiture of remission were made in prisons and remand centers during 1990, but over half of these were not activated immediately. About 57 percent of the forfeitures were for 7 days or less. About 21 percent of all punishments awarded to both males and females were suspended. 16 tables