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Prisoner Escapes

Volume 473: debated on Friday 14 March 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who escaped from open prisons in each month since January 2007, broken down by (a) prison and (b) offence for which convicted; and if he will make a statement. (193511)

Records show that the level of absconds is the lowest for 10 years. Statistics show that since 1996 the rate of absconds has reduced by half.

Data showing the number of prisoners who have absconded from open or semi-open prisons between January 2007 and February 2008 broken down by (a) prison and (b) offence for which they are convicted is shown in the following tables.

Currently abscond levels are the lowest since centralised recording of figures began in 1995.

Offence

Askham Grange

Ford

Grendon

Hatfield

Hewell Grange

Hollesley Bay

Kirkham

Leyhill

Lindholme

Affray

1

1

1

1

Burglary

1

13

11

14

6

4

30

16

Arson

Assault

1

1

1

2

Assisting illegal immigrants

1

Attempt to commit theft

1

Attempt to pervert the course of justice

1

Attempted murder

1

Murder

1

1

Robbery

4

5

4

3

4

7

12

9

1

Breach

4

1

1

2

2

Conspiracy to commit theft

Drugs

2

7

2

8

1

10

8

Criminal damage

Customs evasion (not drugs related)

Driving

4

1

3

4

3

3

Deception

2

1

1

Fail to surrender

1

False imprisonment

False instruments

1

Fraud

Handling stolen goods

1

1

1

1

Holding warrant

1

1

Illegal immigrant/detainee

1

Import/export/drug

1

1

1

Inflict grievous bodily harm

1

1

3

Kidnapping

1

Make off without paying

Manslaughter

1

Other criminal offences

1

Other violence offences

Possession of an offensive weapon

1

1

Possession of firearm with intent. Endanger life

Rape

1

Receiving stolen goods

Sec 40 convictions during original sentence

1

Taking and driving away

1

1

2

Theft

6

1

1

9

6

Threatening/disorderly behaviour

Trespass

1

Wounding

2

1

4

3

Not recorded

1

2

1

2

1

Grand total

9

55

23

33

17

20

80

60

1

Offence

North Sea Camp

Norwich

Standford Hill

Stoke Heath

Sudbury

Thorn Cross

Usk

Wealstun

Grand total

Affray

1

5

Burglary

19

18

17

29

1

12

191

Arson

1

1

1

1

4

Assault

2

1

1

5

1

15

Assisting illegal immigrants

1

Attempt to commit theft

1

Attempt to pervert the course of justice

1

Attempted murder

1

1

3

Murder

1

4

7

Robbery

4

7

17

19

3

5

104

Breach

6

1

3

1

21

Conspiracy to commit theft

1

1

Drugs

4

6

4

10

8

70

Criminal damage

1

1

Customs evasion (not drugs related)

1

1

Driving

3

2

2

1

2

28

Deception

1

5

Fail to surrender

1

False imprisonment

2

2

False instruments

1

Fraud

1

1

Handling stolen goods

1

2

7

Holding warrant

1

1

4

Illegal immigrant/detainee

1

Import/export/drug

3

Inflict grievous bodily harm

1

1

2

9

Kidnapping

1

Make off without paying

1

1

Manslaughter

1

2

Other criminal offences

1

Other violence offences

1

1

Possession of an offensive weapon

1

3

Possession of firearm with intent. Endanger life

1

1

1

3

Rape

1

2

Receiving stolen goods

1

1

2

Sec 40 convictions during original sentence

2

1

1

1

6

Taking and driving away

1

1

5

2

13

Theft

3

6

2

1

1

36

Threatening/disorderly behaviour

1

1

Trespass

1

Wounding

1

1

2

7

1

22

Not recorded

1

1

3

3

1

16

Grand total

54

1

53

1

59

85

9

39

599