The Prison and Young Offenders Centre (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1997

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

1997 No. 86

PRISON AND YOUNG OFFENDERS CENTRES

The Prison and Young Offenders Centre (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1997

Made

20th February 1997

To be laid before Parliament

Coming into operation

1st April 1997

The Secretary of State in pursuance of section 13 of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953(1), as extended by section 2 of the Treatment of Offenders Act (Northern Ireland) 1968(2), hereby makes the following rules:

Citation and commencement

1.  These rules may be cited as the Prison and Young Offenders Centre (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1997 and shall come into operation on 1st April 1997.

Interpretation

2.  In these rules any reference to the “principal rules” is a reference to the Prison and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995(3).

General Principles

3.  In paragraph (1)(f) of Rule 2 of the principal rules after the word “sex” insert “religion”.

Temporary release

4.  In Rule 27 of the principal rules add:

“(5) In considering any application for temporary release under this rule previous applications, including any fraudulent applications, may be taken into account”.

Offences against prison discipline

5.  After paragraph (11) of Rule 38 of the principal rules insert:

“(11b) provides false information in an application for temporary release.”

Police Interviews

6.  In paragraph (1) of Rule 69 of the principal rules after the word “prisoner” insert the words “willing to see him”

P. B. B. Mayhew

One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State

Northern Ireland Office

20th February 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Rules.)

These Rules amend the Prison and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995 (the principal rules).

Rule 3 amends Rule 2 of the principal rules to include religion in the list of criteria that may not be used in allocating facilities and privileges.

Rule 4 amends Rule 27 of the principal rules to allow previous applications for temporary release, including fraudulent applications, to be taken into account in considering applications for temporary release.

Rule 5 amends Rule 38 of the principal rules to create a new disciplinary offence of providing false information in an application for temporary release.

Rule 6 amends Rule 69 of the principal rules to require the consent of a prisoner to a police interview under the rules.