
United Kingdom
Capital city — London
Country population
i01/01/2023Incarceration rate (per 100,000 inhabit…
139In November 2024,…
i11/2024/ in England and WalesType of government
Human Development Index
0.94(15/193)
iHomicide rate (per 100,000 inhabitants)
iName of authority in charge of the pris…
three distinct administrationsEngland and Wales…
Total number of incarcerated people
86,038In November 2024,…
i25/11/2024/ in England and WalesAverage length of imprisonment (in mont…
12.1Is 2022, the aver…
i2022/ in England and WalesPrison density
108.1 %The prison densit…
i10/2024/ in England and WalesTotal number of prison facilities
120120 facilities in…
i2023/ in England and WalesAn NPM has been established
yesin March 2009
Female prisoners
4.1 %There are 3,528 (…
i11/2024/ in England and WalesIncarcerated minors
0.3 %0.3% in England a…
i09/2024/ in England and WalesPercentage of untried prisoners
20.4 %There are 17,711…
i09/2024/ in England and WalesDeath penalty is abolished
yessince 1998
For more information
Key sites¶
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UK Government - Crime, Justice and Law A-Z
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Inside Time – Journal for Prisoners, covering all prisons in the UK and all prison-related issues
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Prisoners’ Families Helpline: national helpline for families of prisoners in England and Wales
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Prison Reform Trust – Advice and information for prisoners, their families and loved ones
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Prison Voicemail: channel of communication between prisoners and their families and relatives
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Prisoner’s Advice Service – Information sheets
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Prisoners’ Advice Service – Information sheets on women prisoners
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UNDP – UK Profile
Department of Justice Statistics:¶
Statistical Reports:¶
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British Religion in Numbers Religion in Prison: 1975-2015 – Ministry of Justice Data (Data provided by the Department of Justice)
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Department of Justice, official annual statistics 2017-2018, “Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Offender Equalities Annual Report 2017/2018”, November 2018
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UK Government, Ethnicity facts and figures: Average length of custodial sentences 2009-2017, October 2018
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Georgina Sturge, “UK Prison Population Statistics”, July 2018
Legal texts:¶
Reports and notes¶
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HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, “Annual Report 2017-18”, July 2018
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HM Inspectorate of Prisons, “Children in Custody 2017–18: An analysis of 12–18-year-olds’ perceptions of their experiences in secure training centres and young offender institutions“, 2019
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Inspectorate of Prisons, “Annual Report 2017-2018”, July 2018
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HM Inspectorate of Prisons, Life in prison: Earning and spending money, January 2016
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Inspectorate of Prisons, *Life in prison: Food, July 2016
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Inspectorate of Prisons, Life in prison: Living conditions, October 2017
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2017 Howard League Report “The Role of the Prison Officer: Research Report”
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Jenny North, “Getting it right? Services for pregnant women, new mothers, and babies in prison”, 2013
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Nicola Padfield & Nancy Loucks, “Le système pénitentiaire anglais et gallois” (The English and Welsh prison system), in J. Céré and C. E. Japiassú (éds.), Les systèmes pénitentiaires dans le monde (Prison systems in the world), 2018, p. 27-44
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Prison Reform Trust, Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile, Autumn 2018
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Prison Reform Trust and Restore Support Network, Social care or systematic neglect? Older people on release from prison“, 2016
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Howard League for Penal Reform, “Future insecure: Secure children’s homes in England and Wales”, 2016, p. 4
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Howard League for Penal Reform, “Preventing prison suicide: Staff perspectives”, 2017
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Howard League, “Consensual sex among men in prison: Briefing paper 1 (note on consensual homosexual relations between men in prison)”, 2013
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Women in Prison, State of the Estate: Women in Prison’s report on the women’s custodial estate, 2015
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Guides and tools Inspectorate of Prisons, Visit management, March 2019
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Prisoner’s Advice Service, “Mother and Baby Units (MBUs): Easy Read Self Help Toolkit (Easy Read Self Help Toolkit), 2017
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Department of Justice, “Review on the Care and Management of Transgender Offenders, December 2015
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National Health Service, Standard Annex to Health and Justice Service Specifications: Adult Prison Estate (Annex to Health and Justice Specifications, Adult Facilities), March 2018