{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-1991/section-33A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-1991/section-33A.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1991/53",
  "legislation_title": "Criminal Justice Act 1991",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-1991",
  "path": "section/33A",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "33A",
  "heading": "Duty to release prisoners: special cases.",
  "text": "(1) As soon as a prisoner—\n(a) whose sentence is for a term of less than twelve months; and\n(b) who has been released on licence under section 34A(3) or 36(1) below and recalled to prison under section 38A(1) or 39(1) or (2) below,\nwould (but for his release) have served one-half of his sentence, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him unconditionally.\n(2) As soon as a prisoner—\n(a) whose sentence is for a term of twelve months or more; and\n(b) who has been released on licence under section 34A(3) below and recalled to prison under section 38A(1) below,\nwould (but for his release) have served one-half of his sentence, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him on licence.\n(3) In the case of a prisoner who—\n(a) has been released on licence under this Part and recalled to prison under section 39(1) or (2) below; and\n(b) has been subsequently released on licence under section 33(3) or (3A) above and recalled to prison under section 39(1) or (2) below,\nsection 33(3) above shall have effect as if for the words “three-quarters” there were substituted the words “the whole” and the words “on licence” were omitted.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 33A inserted (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 119, Sch. 8 para.81; S.I. 1998/2327, art.2(1)(y)(2)(y)."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 33A modified (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 120(1), Sch. 9 para. 12(4)(9); S.I. 1998/2327, art.2(1)(z).S. 33A modified by S.I. 1998/2327, art. 5(3)(c)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/53/section/33A",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:36:55.708645+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}