Crime (Sentences) Act 1997

21 Violent offenders

(1) Subsection (2) below applies where—

(a) there is released under this Chapter an offender who has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of three years or more in respect of a violent offence committed after the commencement of this Chapter; and

(b) the court by which he was so sentenced gave a direction under subsection (3) below.

(2) Section 16 above shall have effect in relation to the offender as if for subsection (2) there were substituted the following subsection—

“(2) On his release, the offender shall be subject to a release supervision order—

(a) where he is released otherwise than under section 10 above, for such period as is specified in the direction under section 21(3) below;

(b) where he is released under section 10 above, for a period equal to the aggregate of—

(i) the period mentioned in paragraph (a) above; and

(ii) a period equal to so much of the remainder of his term as he would have been liable to serve but for his release under section 10 above.”

(3) Where a court sentences an offender to imprisonment for a term of three years or more in respect of a violent offence committed after the commencement of this Chapter, it may give a direction under this subsection if it considers a longer release supervision period necessary for the purpose of preventing the commission by the offender of further offences and of securing his rehabilitation.

(4) A direction under subsection (3) above shall direct that the offender’s release supervision period shall be such period, not more than 50 per cent of the offender’s term of imprisonment, as is specified in the direction.

(5) In this section “violent offence” has the same meaning as in Part I of the 1991 Act.