OpenLegislation

Prison Act 1952

Geo6and1Eliz2/15-16 c. 52 · Enacted 1 August 1952 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 16 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 11 May 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 55amendedImmigration and Asylum Act 1999 Sch. 14 para. 33
s. 37—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 Sch. 8
s. 37(4)—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 Sch. 7 para. 9
s. 43—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 Sch. 8
s. 43(1)—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 s. 59
s. 43(2)(3)(4)(7)—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 Sch. 7 para. 10(a)-(d)
s. 47—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 Sch. 8
s. 47(1) (5)—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 Sch. 7 para. 11
s. 13(2)—Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 Sch. 7 para. 8
s. 47(1A)insertedLegal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s. 129(2)
s. 47(1A)modified (temp.)Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s. 129(10)
s. 47(1A)modified (temp.)Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s. 129(11)(a)
s. 47(6)insertedLegal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s. 129(3)
s. 47AinsertedLegal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s. 129(4)
s. 47Amodified (temp.)Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s. 129(11)(b)
s. 47(1)words omittedLegal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s. 129(1)

An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to prisons and other institutions for offenders and related matters with corrections and improvements made under the Consolidation of Enactments (Procedure) Act 1949.

[1st August 1952]I1E1C1C2C3C4C5C6C7

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 10(1), Sch. 12 para. 23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s. 70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references in any enactment amended by that 1991 Act, to youth courts shall be construed as references to juvenile courts.

C2

Act applied (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, ss. 7(2)(4), 172(4)

Act applied (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, ss. 8(2), 172(4)

C3

Act amended (1.10.1997) by 1997 c. 43, s. 41, Sch. 1 Pt. III para. 17(2)(3); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 2(1)(g) (with art. 5)

C4

A reference to a detention centre within the meaning of Part VIII of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (c. 33) to be construed as a reference to a removal centre within the meaning of that Part (prosp.) by virtue of Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. {66(4)}, 162(2) (with s. 159)

C5

Act: a reference to a detention centre within the meaning of Pt. 8 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (c. 33) to be construed as a reference to a removal centre within the meaning of that part (10.2.2003) by virtue of 2002 c. 41, ss. 66(4), 162(1); S.I. 2003/1, art. 2, Sch.

C6

Act applied (20.3.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 10 para. 3(2)(a); S.I. 2015/778, art. 2(1)(d)

C7

Act applied (20.3.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 10 para. 2(b); S.I. 2015/778, art. 2(1)(d)

Commencement

I1

Act wholly in force at 1.10.1952 see s. 55(2)

Extent

E1

For the extent of this Act see s. 55(3)(4)(5)

Contents

  1. Central administration
  2. 1General control over prisons.
  3. 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  4. 3Officers and servants of Prison Commissioners.
  5. 4General duties of Prison Commissioners.
  6. 5Annual report of Prison Commissioners. Repealed
  7. 5AAppointment and functions of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons.
  8. Visiting committees and boards of visitors
  9. 6Independent monitoring boards
  10. Prison officers
  11. 7Prison officers.
  12. 8Powers of prison officers.
  13. 8APowers of search by authorised persons .
  14. 9Exercise of office of chaplain.
  15. 10Appointment of prison ministers.
  16. 11Ejectment of prison officers and their families refusing to quit.
  17. Confinement and treatment of prisoners
  18. 12Place of confinement of prisoners.
  19. 13Legal custody of prisoner.
  20. 14Cells.
  21. 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  22. 16Photographing and measuring of prisoners.
  23. 16ATesting prisoners for drugs , psychoactive substances and other substances.
  24. 16BPower to test prisoners for alcohol.
  25. 17Painful tests. Repealed
  26. 18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  27. 19Right of justice to visit prison.
  28. 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  29. 21Expenses of conveyance to prison.
  30. 22Removal of prisoners for judicial and other purposes.
  31. 23Power of constable etc. to act outside his jurisdiction.
  32. Length of sentence, release on licence and temporary discharge
  33. 24Calculation of term of sentence.
  34. 25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  35. 26, 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  36. 28Power of Secretary of State to discharge prisoners temporarily on account of ill health.
  37. Discharged prisoners
  38. 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  39. 30Payments for discharged prisoners.
  40. Provision, maintenance and closing of prisons
  41. 33Power to provide prisons, etc.
  42. 34Jurisdiction of sheriff, etc.
  43. 35Prison property.
  44. 36Acquisition of land for prisons.
  45. 37Closing of prisons.
  46. 38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  47. Offences
  48. 39Assisting a prisoner to escape
  49. 40ASections 40B and 40C: classification of articles
  50. 40BConveyance etc. of List A articles into or out of prison
  51. 40CConveyance etc. of List B or C articles into or out of prison
  52. 40CAUnauthorised possession in prison of knife or offensive weapon
  53. 40CBThrowing articles into prison
  54. 40DOther offences relating to prison security
  55. 40ESection 40D: meaning of “authorisation” and other interpretation
  56. 40FOffences under sections 40B to 40D: extension of Crown immunity
  57. 41Unlawful introduction of other articles. Repealed
  58. 42Display of notice of penalties.
  59. Disposal of property
  60. 42ADisposal of unauthorised or unattributable property
  61. Remand centres, detention centres and Borstal institutions Places for the detention of young offenders etc
  62. 43Remand centres, detention centres and youth custody centres. Places for the detention of young offenders etc
  63. 44—46. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  64. Rules for the management of prisons and other institutions
  65. 47Rules for the management of prisons and places for the detention of young offenders
  66. Miscellaneous
  67. 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  68. 49Persons unlawfully at large.
  69. 50Application of certain provisions to remand homes and attendance centres.
  70. Supplemental
  71. 51Payment of expenses out of moneys provided by Parliament.
  72. 52Exercise of power to make orders, rules and regulations.
  73. 53Interpretation.
  74. 54Consequential amendments, repeals and savings.
  75. 55Short title, commencement and extent.
  76. Schedule A1: Further provision about Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
  77. Delegation of functions
  78. 1Paragraph 1
  79. Inspection programmes and inspection frameworks
  80. 2Paragraph 2
  81. Inspections by other inspectors of organisations within Chief Inspector's remit
  82. 3Paragraph 3
  83. Co-operation
  84. 4Paragraph 4
  85. Joint action
  86. 5Paragraph 5
  87. Assistance for other public authorities
  88. 6Paragraph 6
  89. Joint inspection of courts
  90. 7Paragraph 7
  91. Schedule FIRST AND SECOND SCHEDULES. . .
  92. Schedule THIRD. . .
  93. Schedule FOURTH. . .