Answers & Supplementary Information

1. How many people are currently in jail?
A - 82,001 or over
In 2008 average prison numbers rose to 83,000 and this will rise still further if Titan prisons are introduced.

2. Who has the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe?
C - England
England has 83,300 people in prison (2008). France has a similar population size yet imprisons only 56,279. Germany has 20 million more people but imprisons 75,719

3. By how many people did the prison population increase between 1996 - 2006?
C - +25,000
In 1996, the mid-year prison population was 55,256 and when Labour came to Government in May 1997, the prison population was 60,131. Previously it took nearly four decades (1958-1995) for the prison population to rise by 25, 000.

4. On average, how much does it cost to keep one person in prison for a year?
B - £40,000?
It costs an average of £40,992 to keep an adult in prison in England and Wales.

5. What percentage of men held in prison on remand are subsequently not convicted?
B - 19%
One in five (19%) of men and 18% of women held on remand before trial in 2005 were acquitted. N.B. 45% of all prison suicides were committed by people held on remand.

6. What is the single most common offence for which women are imprisoned?
Answer - Theft and handling stolen goods

7. True or False - The majority of women prisoners are mothers?
Answer - True.
66% of women prisoners are mothers. Each year more than 17,700 children are separated from their mothers following their mothers' imprisonment. Only 5% of these children will remain in their own home. 65% of boys with a convicted parent will go on to offend.

8. On average, what percentage of adults are reconvicted after serving a prison sentence?
C - 65%
The re-offending rate is 64.7% for adults released from prison and 72.6% for children.

9. On average, what percentage of adults are reconvicted after serving a community sentence?
A - 50%
Reoffending rates for community sentences are much lower than for custodial sentences. The actual re-offending rates for all community sentences fell from 53.2% in 2000 to 50.5% in 2004. This compares to a rate of 64.7% for adults released from prison and 72.6% for children. Community sentences can include e.g. unpaid work in the community and treatment for mental health problems or addictions.

10. What was the average age of those sentenced to custody in 2006?
B - 27
The average age of those sentenced to custody in 2006 was 27. A quarter were aged 21 or under

11. What was the fastest growing age group in the prison estate between 1996-2006?
C - 60+
The number of sentenced prisoners aged 60 and over rose by 149% between 1996 and 2006.