6,200
determinate sentence prisoners were considered
for parole in 1999/00, that is 2 per cent
more than 1998/99.
The
vast majority, 99 percent, of those considered
were Discretionary Conditional Release prisoners
(i.e. those subject to the Criminal Justice
Act, 1991) whilst the remaining 1 percent
were ‘existing’ prisoners (i.e.
those not subject to the Act because they
were sentenced before the 1 October 1992,
when the Act came into force).
Of
the 6,200 prisoners considered for parole
2,600 were released (41 per cent), this compares
to 39 per cent in 1998/99.
The
rate of release varied depending on the offence
committed, sexual offenders were least likely
to be granted parole.
The
average time spent on licence for Discretionary
Conditional Release prisoners released on
parole was 16.8 months.
The
average time spent on licence by prisoners
released on their Non-Parole Date (NPD) in
1999/00 was 6.7 months.
Home
Detention Curfew
From
the start of the Home Detention Curfew Scheme
(HDC) on the 28th January 1999
to the 31st December 1999, 49,500
prisoners were eligible to be considered for
the scheme of which 14,800 were released onto
HDC; a release rate of 30 per cent.
Rates
of release for different types of prisoner
indicate that risk of reoffending is a key
factor in the release decision.
Rates
of release for women onto HDC were higher
than the rates of release for men.
The
rate of release for white and black prisoners
were very similar, for South Asian and other
ethnic groups the release rates were higher.
5
per cent of those placed on Home Detention
Curfew in 1999 were recalled to prison.
The
most common reason for recall was failure
to comply with the curfew conditions, accounting
for 68 per cent of all recalls.
