Levels of absconding have been falling steadily for some years now and are currently at their lowest levels since central recording of these data began in 1995. The following table shows the numbers of prisoners absconding from prisons in England and Wales in each of the last 24 months and numbers of further offences committed while unlawfully at large.
Month Total prisoners absconding Further offences committed while unlawfully at large December 2006 44 3 January 2007 31 3 February 2007 44 8 March 2007 51 7 April 2007 49 7 May 2007 41 5 June 2007 53 4 July 2007 35 9 August 2007 50 10 September 2007 42 10 October 2007 44 8 November 2007 50 5 December 2007 55 7 January 2008 26 2 February 2008 32 7 March 2008 37 6 April 2008 41 May 2008 28 1 June 2008 36 6 July 2008 18 1 August 2008 37 7 September 2008 31 1 October 2008 38 November 2008 31 2 Total 944 125
These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
Figures on absconds and a range of other prison performance statistics are also available at:
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/abouttheservice/prisonperformance/performancestatistics/