Resuming publication of population in custody monthly tables – statistical notice
Source: data.gov.uk (2018-05-25)

Prison Population statistics. Figures for the prison population in England and Wales published weekly. 
For more detailed figures on the prison population see the National Statistics publication, Offender Management Statistics Quarterly bulletin.

Resuming publication of 
population in custody monthly 
tables – Statistical Notice 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
March 2010 
 
 
 

 
Resuming publication of the population in custody monthly 
tables – statement by the Chief Statistician Iain Bell 
The monthly population in custody bulletin has not been released since the 
publication of June 2009 data on 31 July 2009 due to technical problems relating 
to the supply of data for statistical purposes.  In line with the Code of Practice for 
Official statistics, on 9 October 2009 we announced our proposed timetable for 
resuming publication in two stages: 
 
From the publication of the October 2009 data, to once a month provide 
some of the information in the prison population monthly bulletin on the 
Prison service website; 
 
To resume the full publication in April 2010. 
In line with this timetable, I can announce that full publication of the monthly 
population in custody tables will resume in April 2010, starting with the March 
2010 data which will be published on Friday 30 April. 
The monthly publication compares the latest figures with the prison population at 
the same date the previous year.  Because data for the period July 2009 – 
February 2010 is not complete, and we will not be able to go back and input the 
missing information, some of the annual comparisons will not be possible in the 
monthly bulletins that report on July 2010 – Feb 2011 data. 
In addition to the monthly release we also publish an annual volume, Offender 
Management Caseload Statistics, the 2009 edition of which is scheduled for 
release in July 2010.  The publication includes a chapter on the prison 
population, with detailed breakdowns of the prison population by custody type, 
sentence length, offence and other prisoner characteristics.  This chapter will 
report on the prison population as at 30 June 2009, and will therefore be 
unaffected by the data problems (which affected data from July 2009 onwards). 
The annual volume will also report on the numbers entering and leaving prison 
during 2009.  These chapters will be affected by the data problems, as some of 
the information needed for the detailed breakdowns (specifically sentence 
lengths and offences) is not available for the second half of the period covered by 
this report (July to December 2009).  Wherever possible we will estimate data for 
the second half of the year in order to provide the fullest possible information.  
The publication will clearly identify which figures have been estimated, and set 
out the methodology used. 
 
Iain Bell 
Chief Statistician 
Ministry of Justice 
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Contact details and further information 
For queries, comments or further information on the issues set out in this note, 
please contact: 
Justice Statistics Analytical Services 
Ministry of Justice 
7th floor 
102 Petty France 
London SW1H 9AJ 
Email: xxx@xxx.xx