Performance Measurement in the Prison Sector: Highlights from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland

Liguori, Mariannunziata; Kelly, Martin

Abstract

The prison sector in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) is significant and forms the backbone of the criminal justice system in both jurisdictions. In 2021, approximately £5.4 billion was spent on the prison system in the UK, where His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), is responsible for 117 prisons in England and Wales, including 104 public prisons and 13 private. Three private-sector companies, G4S, Sodexo and Serco, manage the private prisons with a combined operational capacity of 16,000 places. As of March 2021, there were 78,058 prisoners overall. In ROI, the annual budget for the Irish Prison Service (IPS) for 2021 was €395 million, for an average 3,792 prisoners. The IPS operates as an office of the Department of Justice (DoJ). There are currently 12 prison sites in the Irish prison estate, with no privately-run prisons. The authors have recently conducted research, which explores the relationships among key stakeholders and performance-management tools involved in the provision of prison services in both the UK and ROI.

Citation

Liguori, M., & Kelly, M. (online). Performance Measurement in the Prison Sector: Highlights from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Accountancy Ireland,

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 1, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Oct 13, 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 25, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 26, 2024
• Journal: Accountancy Ireland
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2346885
• Publisher URL: https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/Accountancy-Ireland/Articles2/News/Latest-News/measuring-performance-in-the-prison-sector