Section 33 Duty to release short-term and long-term prisoners.I1C1
England and Wales
As soon as a short-term prisoner has served one-half of his sentence, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State—
to release him unconditionally if that sentence is for a term of less than twelve months; and
to release him on licence if that sentence is for a term of twelve months or more.
As soon as a long-term prisoner has served two-thirds of his sentence, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him on licence.
As soon as a short-term or long-term prisoner who—
has been released on licence under F1this Part; and
has been recalled to prison under section 39(1) or (2) below,
would (but for his release) have served three-quarters of his sentence, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him F2on licence.
In the case of a prisoner to whom section 44A below applies, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him on licence at the end of the extension period (within the meaning of F4section 85 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000).
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In this Part—
“long-term prisoner” means a person serving a sentence of imprisonment for a term of four years or more;
“short-term prisoner” means a person serving a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than four years.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Words in s. 33(3)(a)(b) substituted (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 119, Sch. 8 para. 80(1)(a)(b); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(y)(2)(y).
- F2
Words in s. 33(3) substituted (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s 104(1) (with Sch. 9 para. 13); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(w).
- F3
S. 33(3A) inserted (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 119, Sch. 8 para. 80(2); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(y)(2)(y).
- F4
Words in s. 33(3A) substituted (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 165, 168(1), Sch. 9 para. 137
- F5
S. 33(4) repealed (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, ss. 119, 120(2), Sch. 8 para. 80(3), Sch. 10; S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(aa)(y)(2)(y)(3)(t).
Modifications
- C1
S. 33 applied (1.10.1997) by 1997 c. 43, ss. 41, 56(1), Sch. 1 Pt. II paras. 8(2), 9(2), Sch. 5 paras. 9(1)(a), 10(1)(b); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 2(1).
S. 33 modified (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 120(1), Sch. 9 para. 12(3)(9); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(z)
- C2
S. 33(1)(b) amended (retrospectively) by 1984 c. 47, Sch. para. 2 as modified (retrospectively) by 1997 c. 43, s. 42, Sch. 2 para. 2(1)(2); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 2(1).
S. 33(1)(b) amended (1.10.1997) by 1984 c. 47, Sch. para. 2 as modified (1.10.1997) by 1997 c. 43, s. 42, Sch. 2 para. 3(1)(2); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 2(1).
- C3
S. 33(2) amended (retrospectively) by 1984 c. 47, Sch. para. 2 as modified (retrospectively) by 1997 c. 43, s. 42, Sch. 2 para. 2(1)(2); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 2(1).
S. 33(2) amended (1.10.1997) by 1984 c. 47, Sch. para. 2 as modified (1.10.1997) by 1997 c. 43, s. 42, Sch. 2 para. 3(1)(2); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 2(1).
- C4
S. 33(3) modified (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 86(1), 186(1)
Commencement
- I1
Pt. II (ss. 32-51) wholly in force at 1.10.1992 see s. 102(2)(3) and S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2.
Notes on Part II
Textual amendments
- F1
Pt. 2 (ss. 32-51) repealed (4.4.2005) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 303(a), 332, 336, Sch. 37 Pt. 7; S.I. 2005/950, art. 2, Sch. 1 para. 44(k) (subject to art. 2(1), Sch. 2 (as amended by S.I. 2005/2122, art. 2)) and subject to amendments:
(15.1.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 42, 53, Sch. 13 para. 33; S.I. 2006/3364, art. 2(d)(e);
(1.4.2008) by The Offender Management Act 2007 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/912), art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 9(2)(3);
(7.4.2008) by The Early Removal of Short-Term and Long-Term Prisoners (Amendment of Requisite Period) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/977), art. 2;
(9.6.2008 for certain purposes and 31.10.2009 otherwise) by Criminal Justice and immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 26(2)-(6), 153; S.I. 2008/1466, art. 2(a) (subject to art. 3); S.I. 2009/2606, art. 3(b);
(9.6.2008) by 1984 c. 49, Sch. para. 2(2A) (as inserted by Criminal Justice and immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 148, 153, Sch. 26 paras. 19(4)(b); S.I. 2008/1466, art. 2 (subject to art. 4));
(9.6.2008) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 148, 153, Sch. 26 para. 29(2)(5); S.I. 2008/1466, art. 2(c)
(14.7.2008) by Criminal Justice and immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 28(2)(3)(a)(b)(4)(5), 32(1), 149, 153, Sch. 28 Pt. 2 (with Sch. 27 para. 10); S.I. 2008/1586, art. 2(1), Sch. 1;
(3.11.2008) by Criminal Justice and immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 33(5)(6), 148, 149, 153, Sch. 26 para. 29(3)(4), Sch. 28 Pt. 2; S.I. 2008/2712, art. 2, Sch. (subject to arts. 3, 4);
(2.8.2010) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), ss. 145(2)(3), 178, 182, Sch. 23 Pt. 5 (with s. 180, Sch. 22 para. 43); S.I. 2010/1858, art. 2(e)(i);
- F2
Pt. 2: transitional provisions for the repeal by 2003 c. 44, s. 303(a) and specified transitional and savings provisions in S.I. 2005/950, Sch. 2 revoked (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), ss. 121(3), 151(1), Sch. 14 para. 17; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(d)(l)