Vol. 530 No. 1
36 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners serving life sentences; the average time served by prisoners who receive such sentences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3152/01]
There are 118 offenders currently in custody serving life sentences. Within this group of offenders, sentences served range from two days, in the case of a person convicted on Monday of this week, to over 36 years, in the case of a person convicted in 1964. A mathematical average of the duration of sentences served by this group would not, therefore, give an accurate reflection of an average life sentence.
In the period from January 1995 to December 2000, 41 persons serving life sentences were released. The average number of years served in prison by the prisoners released in this group was 14.
Upon release from prison, life sentence offenders are subject to various conditions which may include supervision for the rest of their lives by the Probation and Welfare Service of my Department. Failure to abide by the conditions imposed may result in their automatic return to prison to resume serving their life sentence without warrant and without any further court proceedings.
