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Annex : Notes on statistics used in the bulletin

Coverage and data collection

1. The statistics in this bulletin cover all penal establishments in Scotland. Selected tables (tables 2 and 10) also include information on people held in Legalised Police Cells. For the first time this year, the data in this bulletin has been published on a financial year basis. Information on a calendar year basis is available on request.

2. Prior to 1 April 1996 population and reception information was collected from the penal establishments via manual statistical returns submitted on a monthly basis. From 1 April 1996, the source of all the statistical information provided by the penal establishments changed (with the exception of Legalised Police Cells). On 1 April 1996, a computerised information system, the Prisoner Records System (PRS) was introduced by the Scottish Prison Service to enable on-line recording of information in respect of each prisoner. It is an operational system but also provides all the statistical information previously collected manually from Scottish Prison Service establishments.

3. In July 2004, a new and improved computerised information system (PR2) was introduced. The change to the new recording system does not appear to have altered the ongoing trends in population and receptions. Unfortunately, due to the different way some information is recorded on the new system, we are unable to reproduce some of the tables published in previous bulletins. However, we have been able to include additional information in table 10, on receptions of people recalled from supervision or license.

4. We have only supplied data for last nine rather than the usual ten financial years. Unfortunately, we are unable to produce data for 1995/96 on a consistent basis, because the information collected before 1 April 1996 was collected via manual returns.

5. In 2004 there were 16 penal establishments in Scotland. In addition, there were 9 Legalised Police Cells which could be used to detain prisoners. (These tend to be located in more rural areas and are primarily used to detain prisoners temporarily for court attendance etc.). Of the 16 establishments in Scotland, 15 cater mainly for adult prisoners. There is one dedicated young offenders institution (Polmont) and 2 young offenders institutions which are incorporated within the main prison (Cornton Vale and Dumfries). Cornton Vale continues to be the only all female establishment in the Scottish Prison Service estate. A small number of persons aged 21 or over are received into young offenders institutions. In addition, prisoners up to the age of 23 may be kept at young offenders institutions.

Counting conventions

6. 'Receptions' are not equivalent to 'persons received'. Where a person has several sentences imposed on him by one court in one day this is counted as one reception. However, where custodial sentences are imposed on the same person by 2 or more courts in one day, 2 or more receptions are counted. Where a person is reconvicted while serving a sentence and a further custodial sentence is imposed on him this too is regarded as a further reception.

7. Direct sentenced prison receptions in this bulletin (i.e. excluding fine default receptions) are counted differently from custodial court disposals published in The Scottish Executive Justice Department annual statistical bulletin 'Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts'. There are 2 main reasons for this. Firstly, in the case of backdated sentences if, after backdating, it is found that the custodial sentence has expired, neither the warrant nor the person sentenced will be taken to prison thus a reception will not be counted though the sentence will be included in the court statistics. Secondly, if a person is given one or more custodial sentences on each of 2 separate sets of charges from the same court on the same day, this will be counted as 2 custodial sentences in the court statistics but only one direct sentence reception. The table overleaf illustrates both direct sentence prison receptions and custodial court disposals.

Comparison of direct sentenced prison receptions to court derived 'receptions', 1997 - 2003, Scotland

Number

8. Only the main crime or offence is recorded for persons convicted of more than one criminal act. The main crime or offence is the most serious, assumed to be that for which the longest period in custody was imposed. Where a person is to serve consecutive sentences, the length of the sentence given is the sum of the sentences; for concurrent sentences, the period of the longest sentence is given. These sentences represent the period which would be served if no remission or parole were granted to the prisoner.

Fine Default

9. From 1996/97, fine default information includes a separate category of non-offence (non-offence receptions are contempt of court and breach of a supervised attendance order). Non-offence receptions have no fine amount entered on the warrant, so before 1996/97 they would have been treated as missing fine amounts and would have had a fine amount estimated. Non-offence receptions are excluded from any calculation of average fine amount.

10. With effect from 1996, receptions for compensation order default are included in the fine default figures as these receptions are not separately identifiable from the data received from the Prisoner Records System (PRS).

Children on unruly certificates (Tables 12 to 14)

11. Tables 12 to 14 provide figures on children remanded in custody on an 'unruly certificate'. Sections 24 and 297 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 provide that where a child over the age of 14 appears before a court charged with a crime or offence and the court considers that, because of the child's unruly character, release on bail or detention by a local authority is not appropriate, the child may be detained in the prison system on the authority of the court. The unruly certificate arrangements apply to children aged over 14 and, normally, under 16, although an upper age limit of 18 applies where a child is under a supervision requirement from a children's hearing.

Ethnic Origin

12. Section 306 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 requires the Secretary of State (Scottish Ministers post devolution) to publish such information as he sees fit to assist those engaged in the administration of criminal justice to avoid discriminating against persons on the grounds of race or gender.

International comparisons of prison population

13. Undertaking comparisons of the prison population in different jurisdictions is complex and the results should be treated with caution due to the different justice systems and recording rules in operation. Table 31 provides basic information on total prison population, prison population expressed as a rate per 100,000 of the general population and percentage change between 2003 and 2004.

Supervision level

14. Prior to 1 April 2002 there were five security categories which could be assigned to a prisoner, from category A, the highest security level, to category D the lowest. A category of 'limited D' was also available exclusively for life sentence prisoners who could participate in activities approved by the First Minister for the purposes of testing his/her suitability to be assigned security category D. On 1 April 2002, a new Prisoner Supervision System, specifically designed to assist the effective management of prisoners and to enhance public safety, was implemented giving supervision levels of 'High', 'Medium' or 'Low'.

Classification

15. The classification of crimes and offences used by The Scottish Executive Justice Department for criminal statistics contains approximately 350 codes. The detailed offence information contained on the warrants on the Prisoner Records System is mapped to the relevant SEJD classification code. The groupings used in the bulletin are :

Symbols

22. The following symbols are used throughout the tables in this bulletin.

Contact

23. Further analyses of prison statistics can be supplied on request. In certain cases a fee will be charged. For details of what can be provided please contact Justicestatistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

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