Prisoner Discipline – Greater Powers to Improve Discipline in Prisons.

Amendments Announced in relation to prisoner discipline and punishements.

The Prison and Young Offender Institution (Adjudication) (Amendment) Rules 2024 come into force on 31 May 2024 and will make a number of important changes in relation to prisoner discipline and punishment.

These changes are intended to improve behaviour management in prisons by ensuring serious offences against discipline are appropriately charged and providing governors with more options for dealing with offences against discipline. Improving prison safety through behaviour management is a priority for the Government.

What are the key changes?

Firstly, the Amendment Rules amend the offences against discipline in the Prison and YOI Rules. They replace the existing offences against discipline relating to race with charges that relate to all protected characteristics (including race) in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Sexually inappropriate behaviour

They also introduce new offences against discipline for sexually inappropriate behaviours. This ensures victims of offences against discipline related to one or more protected characteristics are treated equally and that the experiences of victims of sexual offences are recognised and recorded within the adjudications system to combat sexually inappropriate behaviour in prisons.

Payback punishments

Secondly, the Amendment Rules give prison governors two new options when adjudicating: firstly, they provide for a payback punishment where a prisoner makes amends for their wrongdoing by engaging in rehabilitative or reparative work that is unpaid, to give back to the prison community; and secondly, they allow for the suspension of an existing punishment on the condition that a prisoner completes a rehabilitative activity.

These options will allow prisons to better address the root causes of rule breaking to support prisoners to break patterns of repeated misbehaviour.

Compensation options

Thirdly, the Amendment Rules give the governor or Independent Adjudicator statutory discretion as to whether to impose compensation requirement (and the amount that they impose) where a prisoner has destroyed or damaged any part of a prison or any other property belonging to a prison to take account of whether repayment of the full cost would exacerbate financial hardship or cause other negative indirect consequences. 

How We Can Help

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these new measures, please do not hesitate to get in touch by calling us on 0161 477 1121 or email us for more information in relation to this offence.