In England and Wales, the imprisonment for public protection (IPP; Welsh: carcharu er mwyn diogelu'r cyhoedd)[1] sentence was a form of indeterminate sentence introduced by section 225 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (with effect from 2005) by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, and abolished in 2012.
In 2007, the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court ruled that the continued incarceration of prisoners serving IPPs after tariff expiry where the prisons lack the facilities and courses required to assess their suitability for release was unlawful,[4][5] causing concern that many dangerous offenders would be freed.
[9] At the time of abolition of IPP sentences in new cases in 2012, approximately 6,000 inmates remained imprisoned for public protection.
[15] In 2023, Alice Jill Edwards, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, criticised IPP sentences for the psychological harm they inflicted, saying, "The resulting distress, depression and anxiety are severe for prisoners and their families.
[14] In November 2023 the Ministry of Justice announced changes under which sentences would end immediately for about 1,800 offenders released on licence once the legislation comes into force, with more becoming eligible for Parole Board consideration later.