Last amended by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 in 2022. Amendments to provisions on prisoner release and management.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Summary
The Prison Act 1952 is the principal statute governing prisons in England and Wales. It places prisons under the control of the Secretary of State, provides for their establishment, management, and inspection and for the appointment of governors, officers, and boards, and — most importantly in practice — empowers the Secretary of State to make Prison Rules regulating the running of prisons and the treatment, employment, discipline, and control of prisoners (s.47). The detailed day-to-day regime therefore sits in secondary legislation (the Prison Rules 1999 and the Young Offender Institution Rules) made under the Act. The Act also creates offences connected with prisons, such as helping a prisoner to escape and conveying prohibited articles into a prison, and has been amended many times, including by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
Key Points
- Framework for prison management
- Enables Prison Rules
- Powers of prison officers
- Offences relating to prisons (smuggling, escape)
Parts & Sections
Amendments History
2022 — Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
Amendments to provisions on prisoner release and management.