Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services data report- October 2021

Prison population

While the overall prison population is lower than pre-pandemic levels, the number of people held on remand remains at a historic high. The changing levels across groups that are required by law to be housed separately – like those on remand – pose increasing difficulties in the management of the prison population.

In October 2021 (up until the morning of Monday 1st November 2021):

• the population increased by 2 to 7543
• 2147 were on remand: 1820 (24%) untried & 327 (4%) awaiting sentence
• 66% of arrivals were untried (549 of 834), and 19% awaiting sentence (155)

October saw the continued growth of the remand population, exceeding its previous peak at the end of the month. A total remand population of 2,147 is the highest daily number on record. The steady reduction in the sentenced population has compensated for this change somewhat, meaning the overall population is relatively static. However, the specific needs of remand prisoners means this changing population profile poses additional challenges to staff and estate.

Remand Arrival Offences

There were 677 un-sentenced arrivals to prison with known offence types in October, awaiting trial or sentence for the following alleged offences

Note: Double-counting may occur where an individual arrives, is absent from prison for one or more nights in the month, and then returns before the end of the period. Where an individual has multiple alleged offence types in a single stint, the offence towards the top of the list in the chart is used as the index offence.

Further Information:

Latest published Annual Prison Population Statistics