Prisons Act 1933

Prisons Act 1933 2020 REVISED EDITION This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021 An Act relating to prisons. [18 August 1933] PART 1 PRELIMINARY Short title 1. This Act is the Prisons Act 1933. Interpretation 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires — “auxiliary police officer” means a person appointed as such under Part 9 of the Police Force Act 2004; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 01/06/2026] “basic condition”, in relation to a remission order, means the basic condition specified in section 50S; “Cluster Commander” means a Cluster Commander of Prisons appointed under section 20; “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Prisons appointed under section 20; “controlled drug” has the meaning given by section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “Corporation” means the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises established under the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises Act 1975; “default sentence” means a sentence of a term of imprisonment imposed on a person in default of the person paying a fine ordered to be paid by a court; “Deputy Commissioner” means a Deputy Commissioner of Prisons appointed under section 20; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “Divisional Director” means a Divisional Director of Prisons appointed under section 20; “employment preparation”, in relation to a prisoner, means the serving by the prisoner of the prisoner’s sentence of imprisonment in the place or places, outside the limits of any prison, specified in the employment preparation order for the purposes of enhancing a prisoner’s employability and facilitating the prisoner’s reintegration into society; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “employment preparation order” means an order of the Commissioner under section 59K; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “external placement”, in relation to a prisoner, means the serving by the prisoner of the prisoner’s sentence of imprisonment in the place or places, outside the limits of any prison, specified in the external placement order; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “external placement order” means an order of the Commissioner under section 59B; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “home detention”, in relation to a prisoner, means the serving by the prisoner of the prisoner’s sentence of imprisonment in the place or places, outside the limits of any prison, specified in the home detention order for the purpose of facilitating a prisoner’s rehabilitation and reintegration into society; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “home detention order” means an order of the Commissioner under section 52; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “infectious disease” means any of the diseases specified in the First Schedule to the Infectious Diseases Act 1976 and includes any other disease — (a) that is caused or is suspected to be caused by a micro‑organism or any agent of disease; (b) that is capable or is suspected to be capable of transmission by any means to human beings; and (c) that a medical officer has reason to believe, if left uninvestigated or unchecked, is likely to result in an epidemic of the disease; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “intoxicating substance” has the meaning given by section 2 of the Intoxicating Substances Act 1987; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “juvenile” means any person under the age of 18 years, whether convicted or not, under detention in any prison; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 30/12/2025] “lock-up prisoner” means any person, whether convicted or not, who is confined in a lock‑up, or who is transported to, or from, a lock‑up; “medical officer” means a medical officer appointed under section 25; “Part 3A product” has the meaning given by section 19A of the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act 1993; [Act 9 of 2026 wef 01/05/2026] “prison” means any house, building, enclosure or place, or any part thereof, declared to be a prison or reformative training centre under section 3, and includes the grounds and buildings within the prison enclosure and also the airing grounds or other grounds or buildings belonging or attached thereto and used by prisoners; “prison officer” means any prison officer appointed under section 20 and includes the Commissioner, any Deputy Commissioner and any Superintendent; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “prisoner” means any person, whether convicted or not, under detention in any prison or reformative training centre or subject to an external placement order, an employment preparation order or a home detention order, but does not include a person released and at large under a remission order; [Act 6 of 2022 wef 02/09/2022] “psychoactive substance” has the meaning given by section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973; [Act 12 of 2023 wef 01/06/2024] “registered medical practitioner” means a person registered under the Medical Registration Act 1997; “remission order” means a remission order made under any provision in Part 5B; “specified psychoactive substance” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act 1993; [Act 9 of 2026 wef 01/05/2026] “Superintendent” means a Superintendent of Prisons appointed under section 20; “unlawfully at large”, in relation to a person released under a remission order, means a person who fails to submit himself or herself to custody or detention after being required to do so under any written law, or who escapes from such custody or detention; “Visiting Justice” means a member of the Board of Visiting Justices appointed under section 79. [33/2004; 15/2010; 1/2014]