One of the most significant features of the profile of the prison population of England and Wales during the last decade has been the increase in the number of adult long-term prisoners.1 In 1990 the daily average long-term population was 12,149, constituting 42 per cent of the adult sentenced population and 27 per cent of the total population in custody. Five years previously, in 1985, there were just 6,747 long-termers in custody, constituting 25 per cent of the adult sentenced population, and less than 15 per cent of the total in custody. In 1980, long-termers constituted 21 per cent of the adult sentenced population and 13 per cent of the total in custody.