| Entry | Type | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| victim-survivor (of domestic abuse) | New |
The term victim-survivor is the most common term used in the advocacy sector to describe someone who has experienced domestic abuse. However, if you’re developing a product or service that victim-survivors use, it may be more appropriate to reference their experience instead of using this term. For example, you could use the question ‘Have you experienced domestic abuse?’ rather than ‘Are you a victim-survivor of domestic abuse?’. See guidance on using the term domestic abuse. | 12 August 2025 |
| domestic abuse | New |
A new entry for domestic abuse. It includes a definition of the term, who can experience it, and how to design in a way that is trauma-informed. |
12 August 2025 |
| local admin unit | New |
Probation delivery units are divided into local admin units. These used to be called local delivery units and you may hear the initialism LDU. The initialism LAU is probably not well-known enough yet to be used without explanation. Write local admin unit out in full the first time you use it. Use sentence case. |
11 August 2025 |
| unlock list | New |
A list of people in an area of a prison who are due to go to an activity or an appointment. It contains people’s names, prison numbers, what they are due to go to, and when they have to be there. For each unlock, wing officers use the list to let the right people out of their cells and off the wing. It is not used in Category D prisons. Sometimes known as an ‘unlock roll’, ‘leaving list’, or ‘free flow list’. |
6 August 2025 |
| unlock | New |
The process by which people in prison are let out of their cells and off the wing. This can be for:
There can be up to 3 ‘unlocks’ a day – morning, afternoon and evening. |
6 August 2025 |
| FTR48 | New |
FTR48 is the policy that states people with sentences of up to 48 months will get a 28-day recall, provided they meet certain eligibility criteria. The sentence length can be from one sentence or consecutive sentences. The policy is an interim measure and will be replaced with new legislation in 2026. The initialism FTR, which stands for fixed term recall, is generally well understood in HMPPS and widely used in systems like NOMIS. Use FTR48 when referring to the specific policy. |
6 August 2025 |
| Taser (HMPPS only) | New |
Always capitalise, as Taser is a brand name. ‘Taser’ is more widely used across HMPPS than the generic term ‘stun gun’. Avoid using ‘Taser’ as a verb. Taser operatives ‘draw a Taser’ and follow a series of warnings before potentially ‘deploying’ the Taser. |
8 July 2025 |
| acronyms and initialisms | Updated |
Added new content: There is little consensus in the department about how to style some acronyms and initialisms, especially if one letter refers to a preposition. However, you should consider writing acronyms and initialisms entirely in upper case. For example, ROSH instead of RoSH and MOJ instead of MoJ. This is because:
You should use a mix of upper and lower-case letters when referring to the names of systems such OASys and NDelius. |
24 June 2025 |
| ROSH (Risk of Serious Harm) | New |
One of the risk categories used in risk and need assessments in OASys. Use upper case. Users may well understand the acronym on its own. You could also consider using the acronym first and then spelling it out in brackets. |
24 June 2025 |
| probation delivery unit (PDU) | Updated |
Added that there are 12 PDUs and that they are geographical regions. Added that the term is generally well-understood. Sentence case should be used when writing the phrase in full. |
23 June 2025 |
| OASys | New |
OASys is an abbreviation of Offender Assessment System, which is used by staff across prisons and probation to complete risk and need assessments. The term is well known and widely understood in its abbreviated form. It is consistently written with the capitalisation OASys. |
21 May 2025 |
| post-sentence supervision (PSS) | New |
Post-sentence supervision is a period of supervision in the community that follows a prison sentence. The initialism is well understood and can be used without the term being spelt out in full. |
9 June 2025 |
| pre-sentence report (PSR) | New |
Write out pre-sentence report (PSR) on first mention and use PSR or 'the report' thereafter. PSRs are reports that a court uses to help decide on a defendant's sentence. They consider a defendant's offending behaviour, the risk they pose and to whom. A PSR will provide an independent recommendation of the sentencing options available to the court. |
1 April 2025 |
| SDS40 | New |
SDS40 stands for Standard determinate sentence with a 40% release date. SDS40 is a statutory instrument that changed the release points of certain sentences and offences from 50% to 40%. The term SDS40 is commonly understood in HMPPS. |
1 April 2025 |
| probation practitioner | Updated |
Corrected ‘probation support officer’ to ‘probation services officer’. |
26 March 2025 |
| Identity numbers (HMPPS only) | Updated |
A change to the identity numbers entry to include the probation term CRN. |
28 February 2025 |
| Prison, establishment | New |
A new entry on how to use the terms 'prison' and 'establishment'. It includes guidance on how to refer to adult prisons, young offender institutions (YOIs) and other establishments. It also outlines which terms are more likely be understood by the public and users with English as a second language. |
25 February 2025 |
| Category (such as Category A prison) | Updated |
Category can be shortened to ‘Cat’ if space is limited, for example in alert flags on the prisoner profile. |
21 February 2025 |
| PNC number | New |
An identity number assigned to a person in the Police National Computer (PNC). Use ‘PNC number’. This is more well known than the full version. |
9 January 2025 |