Criminal Justice Act 1991

Contracted out prisons E+W

[84 F1 Contracting out prisons etc. E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may enter into a contract with another person for the provision or running (or the provision and running) by him, or (if the contract so provides) for the running by sub-contractors of his, of any prison or part of a prison.

(2) While a contract under this section for the running of a prison or part of a prison is in force—

(a) the prison or part shall be run subject to and in accordance with sections 85 and 86 below, the 1952 Act (as modified by section 87 below) and prison rules; and

(b) in the case of a part, that part and the remaining part shall each be treated for the purposes of sections 85 to 88A below as if they were separate prisons.

(3) Where the Secretary of State grants a lease or tenancy of land for the purposes of any contract under this section, none of the following enactments shall apply to it, namely—

(a) Part II of the M1 Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (security of tenure);

(b) section 146 of the M2 Law of Property Act 1925 (restrictions on and relief against forfeiture);

(c) section 19(1), (2) and (3) of the M3 Landlord and Tenant Act 1927 and the M4 Landlord and Tenant Act 1988 (covenants not to assign etc.); and

(d) the M5 Agricultural Holdings Act 1986.

In this subsection “lease or tenancy” includes an underlease or sub-tenancy.

(4) In this Part—

• “contracted out prison” means a prison or part of a prison for the running of which a contract under this section is for the time being in force;

• “the contractor”, in relation to a contracted out prison, means the person who has contracted with the Secretary of State for the running of it; and

• “sub-contractor”, in relation to a contracted out prison, means a person who has contracted with the contractor for the running of it or any part of it.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 84 substituted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s.96.

Marginal Citations

M1 1954 c. 56.

M2 1925 c. 20.

M3 1927 c. 36

M4 1988 c. 26.

M5 1986 c. 5.

85 Officers of contracted out prisons. E+W

(1) Instead of a governor, every contracted out prison shall have—

(a) a director, who shall be a prisoner custody officer appointed by the contractor and specially approved for the purposes of this section by the Secretary of State; and

(b) a controller, who shall be a Crown servant appointed by the Secretary of State;

and every officer of such a prison who performs custodial duties shall be a prisoner custody officer who is authorised to perform such duties [F2 or a prison officer who is temporarily attached to the prison].

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, the director shall have such functions as are conferred on him by the 1952 Act (as modified by section 87 below) or as may be conferred on him by prison rules.

(3) The director shall not—

(a) inquire into a disciplinary charge laid against a prisoner, conduct the hearing of such a charge or make, remit or mitigate an award in respect of such a charge; or

(b) except in cases of urgency, order the removal of a prisoner from association with other prisoners, the temporary confinement of a prisoner in a special cell or the application to a prisoner of any other special control or restraint.

(4) The controller shall have such functions as may be conferred on him by prison rules and shall be under a duty—

(a) to keep under review, and report to the Secretary of State on, the running of the prison by or on behalf of the director; and

(b) to investigate, and report to the Secretary of State on, any allegations made against prisoner custody officers performing custodial duties at the prison [F3 or prison officers who are temporarily attached to the prison].

(5) [F4 The contractor and any sub-contractor of his shall each]be under a duty to do all that he reasonably can (whether by giving directions to the officers of the prison or otherwise) to facilitate the exercise by the controller of all such functions as are mentioned in or conferred by subsection (4) above.

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in s. 85(1) inserted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 97(1).

F3 Words in s. 85(4)(b) inserted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 97(2).

F4 Words in s. 85(5) substituted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 101(1).

Commencement Information

I1 S. 85 wholly in force at 31.10.1991 see s. 102(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(4) and Sch. 3

86 Powers and duties of prisoner custody officers employed at contracted out prisons. E+W

(1) A prisoner custody officer performing custodial duties at a contracted out prison shall have the following powers, namely—

(a) to search in accordance with prison rules any prisoner who is confined in the prison; and

(b) to search any other person who is in or is seeking to enter the prison, and any article in the possession of such a person.

(2) The powers conferred by subsection (1)(b) above to search a person shall not be construed as authorising a prisoner custody officer to require a person to remove any of his clothing other than an outer coat, jacket or gloves.

(3) A prisoner custody officer performing custodial duties at a contracted out prison shall have the following duties as respects prisoners confined in the prison, namely—

(a) to prevent their escape from lawful custody;

(b) to prevent, or detect and report on, the commission or attempted commission by them of other unlawful acts;

(c) to ensure good order and discipline on their part; and

(d) to attend to their wellbeing.

(4) The powers conferred by subsection (1) above, and the powers arising by virtue of subsection (3) above, shall include power to use reasonable force where necessary.

Commencement Information

I2 S. 86 wholly in force at 31.10.1991 see s. 102(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(4) and Sch. 3

Valid from 01/11/2007

[F5 86A Power of prisoner custody officers to detain suspected offenders E+W

(1) A prisoner custody officer performing custodial duties at a contracted out prison shall have the following powers in relation to any person who is in or is seeking to enter the prison (other than a prisoner confined in the prison).

(2) Where the officer has reason to believe that the person is committing or has committed an offence under any of sections 39 to 40D of the Prison Act 1952, the officer may—

(a) require the person to wait with him for the arrival of a constable for such period as may be necessary (not exceeding two hours); and

(b) use reasonable force to prevent the person from making off while subject to a requirement under paragraph (a).

(3) A person who makes off while subject to such a requirement is guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(4) In subsection (2), a reference to an offence under a particular provision includes a reference to any offence consisting of an attempt to commit, incitement or conspiracy to commit, or aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of, an offence under that provision.]

Textual Amendments

F5 S. 86(A) inserted (1.11.2007) by Offender Management Act 2007 (c. 21), ss. 17(1), 41(1); S.I. 2007/3001, art. 2(1)(b)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 86A(2) modified (temp.) (1.11.2007) by The Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No.1 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/3001), art. 2(2)

C2 S. 86A(4) modified (1.10.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), ss. 63(1)(2), 94, Sch. 6 para. 19(b); S.I. 2008/2504, art. 2(a)

Valid from 01/11/2007

[F6 86B Powers of authorised persons to perform custodial duties E+W

(1) In this section—

• “restricted activity” means an activity which is (apart from this section) required by section 85(1) to be carried out by an officer of a contracted-out prison who is—

  (a)

  a prisoner custody officer authorised to perform custodial duties; or

  (b)

  a prison officer temporarily attached to the prison; and

• “worker”, in relation to a contracted out prison, means a person who works at the prison, other than an officer mentioned above.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order specify descriptions of restricted activity that may be the subject of authorisations under subsection (3) given to workers at a contracted-out prison.

(3) A worker at a contracted-out prison may carry out any activity of a description specified under subsection (2), but only if and to the extent that he is for the time being authorised to do so by the director of the prison.

(4) The director may give such authorisation—

(a) in general or specific terms, subject to any limitations or conditions he considers appropriate; and

(b) to one or more particular workers or to any worker who is (or comes to be) within a specified description of workers at the prison.

(5) Nothing in an order or authorisation under this section is to be taken as authorising the use of force.

(6) An order under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.]

Textual Amendments

F6 S. 86(B) inserted (1.11.2007) by Offender Management Act 2007 (c. 21), ss. 18(2), 41(1); S.I. 2007/3001, art. 2(1)(c)

87 Consequential modifications of 1952 Act. E+W

(1) In relation to a contracted out prison, the provisions of the 1952 Act specified in subsections (2) to (8) below shall have effect subject to the modifications so specified.

(2) In section 7(1) (prison officers), the reference to a governor shall be construed as a reference to a director and a controller.

[F7 (3) Section 8 (powers of prison officers) [F8 and section 8A (powers of search by authorised employees)]] shall not apply in relation to a prisoner custody officer performing custodial duties at the prison.

(4) In sections 10(5), 12(3), 13(1) [F9 16A][F10 16B]and 19(1) and (3) (various functions of the governor of a prison), references to the governor shall be construed as references to the director.

[F11 (4A) Section 11 (ejectment of prison officers and their families refusing to quit) shall not apply.]

[(5) In section 12(1) and (2) (place of confinement of prisoners), any reference to a prisoner or prisoners shall be construed as a reference to a remand prisoner or prisoners.]

(6) In section 13(2) (legal custody of prisoner), the reference to an officer of the prison shall be construed as a reference to a prisoner custody officer performing custodial duties at the prison [F12 or a prison officer who is temporarily attached to the prison].

(7) In section 14(2) (cells), the reference to a prison officer shall be construed as a reference to a prisoner custody officer performing custodial duties at the prison [F12 or a prison officer who is temporarily attached to the prison].

(8) Section 35 (vesting of prison property in the Secretary of State) shall have effect subject to the provisions of the contract entered into under section 84(1) above.

Textual Amendments

F7 S. 87(3) substituted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 97(3).

F8 Words in s. 87(3) inserted (3.2.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(2), Sch. 10 para. 68; S.I. 1995/127, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 Appendix B

F9 Words in s. 87(4) inserted (9.1.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(2), Sch. 10 para. 69; S.I. 1994/3192, art. 2, Sch.

F10 Words in s. 87(4) inserted (21.5.1997) by 1997 c. 38, ss.2, 3(2).

F11 S. 87(4A) inserted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 97(4).

F12 Words in s. 87(6)(7) inserted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 97(5).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 S. 87 has effect (9.7.1992) by S.I. 1992/1656, art. 3 as if s. 87(5) were omitted (which S.I. is revoked (24.2.1993) by S.I. 1993/368, art. 2.)

S. 87 has effect (24.02.1993) by S.I. 1993/368, art. 4 as if subsection (5) were omitted.

Commencement Information

I3 S. 87 wholly in force at 31.10.1991 see s. 102(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(4) and Sch. 3

88 Intervention by the Secretary of State. E+W

(1) This section applies where, in the case of a contracted out prison, it appears to the Secretary of State—

(a) that the director has lost, or is likely to lose, effective control of the prison or any part of it; and

(b) that the making of an appointment under subsection (2) below is necessary in the interests of preserving the safety of any person, or of preventing serious damage to any property.

(2) The Secretary of State may appoint a Crown servant to act as governor of the prison for the period—

(a) beginning with the time specified in the appointment; and

(b) ending with the time specified in the notice of termination under subsection (4) below.

(3) During that period—

(a) all the functions which would otherwise be exercisable by the director or the controller shall be exercisable by the governor;

(b) [F13 the contractor and any sub-contractor of his shall each] do all that he reasonably can to facilitate the exercise by the governor of those functions; and

(c) the officers of the prison shall comply with any directions given by the governor in the exercise of those functions.

(4) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied—

(a) that the governor has secured effective control of the prison or, as the case may be, the relevant part of it; and

(b) that the governor’s appointment is no longer necessary as mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above,

he shall, by a notice to the governor, terminate the appointment at a time specified in the notice.

(5) As soon as practicable after making or terminating an appointment under this section, the Secretary of State shall give a notice of the appointment, or a copy of the notice of termination, to the contractor, [F14 any sub-contractor of his,]the director and the controller.

Textual Amendments

F13 Words in s. 88(3)(b) substituted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 101(2).

F14 Words in s. 88(5) inserted (3.11.1994) by 1994 c. 33, s. 101(3).

Commencement Information

I4 S. 88 wholly in force at 31.10.1991 see s. 102(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(4) and Sch. 3