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Prisoners and families

Glossary of terms

Abscond: Escape from an open prison

ACR: Automatic Conditional Release system by which prisoners serving 1 year or more but less than 4 years for offences committed before 4 April 2005, are released

Adjudication: Internal prison disciplinary hearing

AUR: Automatic Unconditional Release system by which prisoners serving less than 1 year are released

CAT/Category: The security classification of a prisoner, ranging from Cat A (the highest category for the most dangerous), to Cat D open prison conditions

CRD: Conditional Release Date the date on which a prisoner serving 12 months or more but less than 4 years is released on licence under supervision

DCR: Discretionary conditional release system by which prisoners serving 4 years or more may be released on parole

Dispersal: Method of dispersing Cat A prisoners around the prison system

Dispersal prison: Top security prison housing Cat A prisoners

EPP: Extended sentence for Public Protection

ERCG: Early Release on Compassionate Grounds

ESP: Extended Sentence Panel

HDC: Home Detention Curfew (electronic tagging)

HMCIP: Her Majesty's Chief Inspectorate of Prisons

HMP: Her Majesty's Pleasure

HPO: Home Probation Officer (now know as Offender Manager)

IMB: Independent Monitoring Board

IPP: Indeterminate sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection

JR: Judicial review

Knock back: Parole Board refusal to award early release

LED: Licence Expiry Date

MDT: Mandatory Drug Test

NOMS: National Offender Management Service

NPD: Non-Parole Date

NPS: National Probation Service

OASys: Offender Assessment System

OM: Offender Manager (formerly known as Home Probation Officer)

OS: Offender Supervisor (formerly known as Prison Probation Officer or Seconded Probation Officer)

PAR: Parole Assessment Report

PED: Parole Eligibility Date

PNC: Police National Computer

PPO: Prison Probation Officer (now known as Offender Supervisor)

Pre-con: Previous conviction

PRRD: Post Recall Release Date

PRS: Post Release Section

PSI: Prison Service Instruction

PSO: Prison Service Order

PSR: Pre-Sentence Report

Reps: Either prisoners representatives or representations

ROR: Risk Of Conviction

ROTL: Release On Temporary Licence from an open prison

SCH: Secure Children's Home

STC: Secure Training Centre

SED: Sentence Expiry Date

SIR: Security Information Report

SofS: Secretary of State (Justice Secretary)

SPO: Seconded Probation Officer (now know as Offender Supervisor)

Tx: Transfer

UAL: Unlawfully At Large

VDT: Voluntary Drug Test

YJB: Youth Justice Board

YOI: Young Offender Institution

YOT: Youth Offending Team

Investor in People

The Parole Board for England and Wales

Grenadier House, 99-105 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2DX

Telephone 0845 251 2220