In 2023, there were 599 people aged between 30 and 39 imprisoned in Northern Ireland, the most of any group during this year. By comparison, there were just 43 people aged between 18 and 20 in this year.

As of 2023, there were approximately 2,527 prisoners in Scotland aged between 25 and 34, the highest among the provided age groups. By contrast, there were just 248 prisoners aged 65 or over.

In 2022/23 there were approximately 7,426 male prisoners in Scotland, compared with 282 female ones. During the provided time period, male prisoner numbers in Scotland peaked during 2019/20, when there were 7,796, while the number of female prisoners was highest in 2011/12, at 469.

Between 2012 and 2020, the number of self-inflicted deaths among white prisoners in public prisons in England and Wales went up from 49 to 57.

White offenders had the highest reoffending rate out of all ethnic groups (26.6%) in the year to March 2022.

The HMIP (His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons) Prisoner Surveys (also formerly known as Detainee Surveys) are part of the Inspectorate's duties to inspect prisons. Surveys of prisoners have been carried out systematically since 2000 at institutions being inspected, to gain important insight into detainees' experiences of offender management whilst in custody.

Prisoners are issued with the survey questionnaire to return to the HMIP team, which processes the data to inform inspections of individual institutions and the HMIP annual reports.

The survey is grouped into topics/themes of questions with response categories, as well as providing space for prisoners to add additional comments (such text comments are not included in these datasets).

The specific objectives of the HMIP Prisoner Survey series are as follows:

• to produce data that are comparable as possible over time and between custodial institutions;
• to provide data for a large and representative sample of adult prisoners in England and Wales. So far, over 20 years' worth of data has been collected. The survey conducted in 2020/21 was subject to HMIP COVID-19 restrictions.

Further information can be found on the HMIP Prisoner Survey webpage.

End User Licence and Special Licence versions

Two versions of the HMIP Prisoner Survey are held at UKDS: an End User Licence (EUL) version (SN 9161) that is subject to registration and standard access conditions, and a more detailed Special Licence (SL) version (SN 9068), which has additional access restrictions. The document 'end_user_licence_group_changes', available with the EUL version, SN 9161, details the differences between the two versions. Users should obtain the EUL version first to see whether it is suitable for their needs before considering making an application for access to the SL version.

Latest edition information

For the third edition (October 2024), data and documentation for 2023/24 were added to the study.

In May 2025, the prisoner population of England and Wales stood at 88,103 while the operating capacity of prisons was 89,228. As of this month, the spare capacity of prisons in England and Wales was 1,006.

The dataset has been created from registers of prisoners in Newgate Prison charged with indictable offences, most for trial at the Old Bailey. The information given includes the name of the prisoner, offences charged and outcomes, with physical descriptions and biographical details in many cases. In the 19th century, British prisons recorded ever-increasing amounts of physical, biometric and biographical information about prisoners. However, it is very unusual for 18th-century records to contain this type of detail, and these registers are consequently a rare and rich source. (Indeed, they surpass many 19th-century prison records because they are not restricted to convicted prisoners.) Their usefulness is further enhanced by information about the outcomes of cases.

The dataset provides detailed, standardised records of prisoners, including demographic, physical, and judicial information such as age, height, offence, birthplace, residence, occupation, religion, and literacy.

The dataset offers a comprehensive resource for studying social, economic, demographic, and anthropometric history of Ireland under British rule. Prisoners' names are anonymised to comply with data-sharing agreements. Recidivists are only included in this dataset the first time they are entered into the prison register.

Year of conviction ranges from 1858 to 1910, and the year of birth is from 1840 to 1859. The average age of the prison population is 34, and ages range from 16 to 70.

Data are described in more detail in E. McLaughlin, C. L. Colvin and M. Blum, 'Anthropometric History: Revisiting What’s in it for Ireland', Irish Economic and Social History (2021).

Occupations are classified into five categories using the Armstrong scale: W. A. Armstrong, ‘The use of information about occupation, part I: a basis for social stratification’, in E. A. Wrigley (ed.), Nineteenth-century society: essays in the use of quantitative methods for the study of social data (Cambridge, 1972).

Famine-era mortality is appended to this dataset, denoting excess mortality in a prisoner's county of birth during the Great Irish Famine. This is calculated by comparing the 1841 and 1851 censuses, as calculated by Joel Mokyr, Why Ireland starved (2nd ed., London, 1985).

Prisons in England and Wales

Contains:

Codes for Prisons in England and Wales. This data is for current organisations, plus data for organisations that have closed in the current or previous financial year

A register of the prison estates in England and Wales as defined by HM Prison and Probation Service

Registers - Registers are lists of information. Each register is the most reliable list of its kind. If you wish to know more about registers, please visit the registers guidance at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/registers/registers

Correctional System Market Outlook

The global correctional system market size was valued at approximately USD 5.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 10.6 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% from 2024 to 2032. This growth is primarily driven by technological advancements and the increasing need for efficient prison management systems. The adoption of innovative technologies such as AI, IoT, and cloud computing within correctional facilities is expected to streamline operations, enhance security measures, and improve rehabilitation programs, thus contributing to market expansion.

One of the primary factors fueling the growth of the correctional system market is the rising emphasis on enhancing operational efficiency and security within correctional facilities. As prison populations continue to grow, there is an increased need for systems that can manage inmate information, monitor activities, and ensure compliance with regulations. Advanced software solutions that offer real-time data analytics and automation are becoming essential tools for governmental agencies and private operators alike. Furthermore, the integration of AI and machine learning technologies is aiding in predictive analytics, helping authorities to anticipate and prevent potential security breaches.

Another significant growth factor is the increasing focus on rehabilitation and community corrections programs. Modern correctional systems are gradually shifting from punitive approaches to rehabilitative and restorative justice models. This shift necessitates the implementation of comprehensive rehabilitation programs that can effectively address the psychological, educational, and vocational needs of inmates. Consequently, there is a growing demand for software and services designed to manage these programs, track progress, and measure outcomes. Additionally, community corrections, which involve supervised probation and parole, are gaining traction, requiring robust systems to manage and monitor individuals outside traditional prison environments.

The expansion of cloud-based solutions is also playing a pivotal role in driving market growth. Cloud deployment offers numerous advantages, including cost-effectiveness, scalability, and ease of access to data from multiple locations. This is particularly beneficial for large-scale correctional facilities and government agencies that manage multiple prisons. By leveraging cloud technology, these institutions can ensure seamless communication, data sharing, and real-time updates across different facilities. Moreover, the shift towards cloud-based solutions is supported by advancements in data security measures, which are crucial for handling sensitive inmate information.

Regionally, North America holds a significant share of the correctional system market, driven by substantial investments in prison infrastructure and technology adoption. The United States, in particular, is a major contributor due to its large prison population and stringent regulatory requirements. Europe follows closely, with countries like the UK, Germany, and France focusing on modernizing their correctional facilities and enhancing rehabilitation efforts. The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, attributed to growing government initiatives to improve prison management and the increasing adoption of advanced technologies in countries like China, India, and Japan.

Component Analysis

In the correctional system market, the component segmentation involves hardware, software, and services. Each of these components plays a critical role in enhancing the efficiency and security of correctional facilities. The hardware segment includes surveillance systems, biometric devices, and communication systems. Surveillance systems, such as CCTV cameras and motion detectors, are essential for maintaining security within prisons. Biometric devices, including fingerprint scanners and facial recognition systems, are increasingly being adopted to ensure accurate identification and reduce the risk of impersonation. Communication systems, such as inmate telephone services and video conferencing, facilitate secure communication between inmates and their families, legal representatives, and prison staff.

The software segment encompasses management software, inmate tracking systems, and rehabilitation management software. Management software is designed to streamline various administrative tasks, such as inmate record-keeping, incident reporting, and resource allocation. Inmate tracking systems utilize tec

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In the year ending March 2019, the rate of self-harm by White young people in custody was 2.75 times the rate of all other ethnic groups combined.

The crime rate in the United Kingdom was highest in England and Wales in 2023/24, at **** crimes per 1,000 people, compared with Scotland which had ** crimes per 1,000 population and Northern Ireland, at **** crimes per 1,000 people. During this time period, the crime rate of England and Wales has usually been the highest in the UK, while Scotland's crime rate has declined the most, falling from **** crimes per 1,000 people in 2002/03, to just **** by 2021/22. Overall crime on the rise In 2022/23 there were approximately **** million crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, with this falling to **** million in 2023/24. Although crime declined quite significantly between 2002/03 and 2013/14, this trend has been reversed in subsequent years. While there are no easy explanations for the recent uptick in crime, it is possible that reduced government spending on the police service was at least partly to blame. In 2009/10 for example, government spending on the police stood at around **** billion pounds, with this cut to between ***** billion and ***** billion between 2012/13 and 2017/18. One of the most visible consequences of these cuts was a sharp reduction in the number of police officers in the UK. As recently as 2019, there were just ******* police officers in the UK, with this increasing to ******* by 2023. A creaking justice system During the period of austerity, the Ministry of Justice as a whole saw its budget sharply decline, from *** billion pounds in 2009/10, to just **** billion by 2015/16. Although there has been a reversal of the cuts to budgets and personnel in the justice system, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the depleted service hard in 2020. A backlog of cases grew rapidly, putting a strain on the ability of the justice system to process cases quickly. As of the first quarter of 2023, for example, it took on average *** days for a crown court case to go from offence to conclusion, compared with *** days in 2014. There is also the issue of overcrowding in prisons, with the number of prisoners in England and Wales dangerously close to operational capacity in recent months.