Prisons Regulations

If a Superintendent of a prison has —

The Commissioner must consider the opinion of the Institutional Discipline Advisory Committee in making a decision under section 71(3) of the Act.

Without limiting section 24 of the Act or any other duties of the Superintendent in these Regulations, the Superintendent of a prison must —

In this regulation, “prison staff”, in relation to a prison, means any of the following persons who is deployed to the prison:

The Superintendent of a prison must, as far as practicable, inspect (or ensure that a person authorised by the Superintendent inspects) the prison daily (except on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday).

The Superintendent of a prison or the person authorised by the Superintendent (as the case may be) must hear and deal with any complaint or request in relation to the prison or the treatment or safety of a prisoner in the prison, made by a prisoner during an inspection.

The Superintendent of a prison must determine the period during which a prisoner in the prison is unlocked from the prisoner’s cell.

For the purposes of paragraph (1), the Superintendent of the prison may determine different periods for different categories of prisoners.

Subject to the orders of the Commissioner, the Superintendent of a prison may permit a person who has good reasons, to visit the prison at reasonable hours accompanied by a prison officer or an authorised auxiliary police officer.

A visitor to a prison must not converse or communicate with a prisoner during the visit without the permission of the Superintendent of the prison.

If a prisoner dies in a prison, the Superintendent of the prison must ensure that —

If a prisoner in a prison is dangerously ill, the Superintendent of the prison must, as soon as practicable, report this to the most accessible known relative of the prisoner.

The Superintendent of a prison must not accompany a Visiting Justice when the Visiting Justice is visiting the prison.

The Superintendent of a prison must —

A prison officer deployed to a prison must —

If a prison officer of or above the rank of sergeant has reason to suspect that an offence under section 81A(4) of the Act has been committed (whether or not from information received), the prison officer must investigate the offence.

A prison officer may use force on a prisoner if all the following conditions are met:

If a prison officer uses force on a prisoner in a prison or a prisoner who is being escorted from a prison —

To avoid doubt, this regulation does not affect section 81B of the Act.

A prison officer must not use a restraint on a prisoner unless authorised under this regulation.

A prison officer may use a restraint on a prisoner if all the following conditions are met:

A prison officer who uses a restraint on a prisoner must ensure that the restraint is removed immediately once it is no longer necessary.

To avoid doubt —

This regulation applies to a prison officer who is assigned, by the Commissioner or a person authorised by the Commissioner, to live in staff quarters.

Without limiting regulation 15(1)(a), a prison officer who lives in staff quarters must comply with all Prison Standing Orders relating to the staff quarters and the conduct of prison officers when living in staff quarters.

A medical officer for a prison must —

If a medical officer for a prison considers it necessary to inform the Superintendent of the prison of a prisoner’s medical condition, the medical officer —

This regulation applies if a medical officer for a prison —

The medical officer must, without delay, give to the Superintendent of the prison a written report containing the medical officer’s recommendations on preventing the spread (or possible spread) of the infectious disease to other persons.

Without limiting paragraph (2), the medical officer may recommend that any prisoner mentioned in paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c) be detained separately from other prisoners.

A Visiting Justice must, on every visit to a prison, hear any complaint, request or appeal that any prisoner in the prison wishes to make to the Visiting Justice.

A Visiting Justice must, after visiting a prison, make a record of —

The Commissioner must ensure that a report of one or more records made under paragraph (2) (whether or not including other information or statistics relating to a prison) is sent to the Minister at such times as the Minister may require.

The Minister may appoint one or more Institutional Discipline Advisory Committees for one or more prisons.

An Institutional Discipline Advisory Committee must —

The Commissioner must ensure that if a prisoner is admitted to a prison, a record containing the following information is created and kept updated:

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a prison officer may do either or both of the following:

A prisoner must be examined by a medical officer as soon as possible after admission.

The medical officer examining a prisoner must record the state of health of the prisoner and any other particulars that the medical officer considers necessary.

Without limiting paragraph (1), a medical officer may —

A medical examination of a prisoner in a prison for the purposes of this regulation must be carried out —

The Commissioner or the Superintendent of a prison may require a prisoner in the prison to undergo a medical examination.

If a prisoner in a prison refuses to undergo, or provide any sample necessary for the purposes of, a medical examination, the Commissioner or the Superintendent of the prison (or a prison officer authorised by the Commissioner or Superintendent) may direct that the prisoner be detained separately from any other prisoner until the prisoner undergoes a medical examination.

Without affecting paragraph (2) or (3), if a medical officer for a prison suspects that a prisoner in the prison is suffering from, or is a carrier of, any infectious disease, the medical officer must, without delay, notify the Superintendent of the prison (or a prison officer authorised by the Superintendent) in writing.

If a medical officer for a prison ascertains that a prisoner in the prison is (or is likely to be) suffering from, or is (or is likely to be) a carrier of, any infectious disease, the medical officer must, without delay, give to the Superintendent of the prison (or a prison officer authorised by the Superintendent) a written report containing —

Without limiting section 42 of the Act, the Superintendent of the prison or the prison officer (as the case may be) may —

This regulation applies to a person who, as a consequence of any action taken under regulation 27 or 28, is aware or has reasonable grounds for believing that a prisoner in a prison —

The person must not disclose that information to another person except —

Subject to the need to maintain the discipline of prisoners in the prison and ensure the good order of the prison, and paragraph (2), every prisoner in a prison is to be given the opportunity to spend time out of the prisoner’s cell for any period that may be allowed or specified by the Superintendent of the prison.

Paragraph (1) does not apply to any prisoner —

A medical officer for a prison must make a report to the Superintendent of the prison if the medical officer considers that —

The Superintendent of the prison must forward the report to the Commissioner, and the Commissioner, upon receiving the report, may refer the prisoner’s case to an External Placement Review Board for the prison under regulation 83.

A male person (including a male prison officer) in a prison must not —

However, in the event of an emergency or an exceptional situation specified in the Prison Standing Orders, a male person (including a male prison officer) in a prison may —

If any male person (including a male prison officer) attends to, or must be in the same room as, a female prisoner in accordance with paragraph (2), he must make a report of the incident to the Superintendent of the prison as soon as possible.

In this regulation, “emergency” means an actual or imminent event that causes, or threatens to cause —

The Commissioner may allow a child born to a female prisoner during her imprisonment to stay with the female prisoner in the prison if the Commissioner considers this to be in the child’s best interests, having regard to the female prisoner’s fitness to care for the child.

If the Commissioner does not allow a child to stay with a female prisoner in the prison under paragraph (1), the child must be placed under alternative care outside of prison as soon as practicable.

The Superintendent of a prison must ensure that a child who is allowed to stay with a female prisoner in the prison under paragraph (1) is provided with basic necessities, adequate nutrition and healthcare.

The female prisoner is responsible for the safety and care of the child while the child stays with her.

Subject to paragraph (3), a prisoner must comply with the standard of grooming that is applicable to the prisoner, as specified in the Prison Standing Orders.

To avoid doubt, the standard of grooming that is applicable to a prisoner under paragraph (1) includes any applicable modification approved on the ground of a religious practice, as specified in the Prison Standing Orders.

The Superintendent of a prison may allow a prisoner in the prison to shave or have the prisoner’s hair cut despite any modification to the standard of grooming mentioned in paragraph (2) that is applicable to the prisoner.

If the Superintendent of a prison considers it desirable, a prisoner in the prison must, so far as is practicable, be encouraged and assisted to maintain or establish any relations with persons or agencies outside the prison that may promote the best interests of the prisoner’s family or the prisoner’s social rehabilitation.

The Superintendent of a prison may at any time communicate (or authorise communication) to a prisoner in the prison or to the prisoner’s family or friends, any matter of importance to the prisoner.

The holding of religious services for prisoners must be consistent with prison security and the discipline of prisoners in the prison.

When visiting prisoners, a minister of religion may be allowed in every facility consistent with prison security and the discipline of prisoners in the prison.

Without limiting paragraph (1), a Muslim prisoner is allowed to observe the fast of Ramadan, subject to any medical considerations.

A prisoner in a prison must not receive or keep any reading material unless allowed by the Superintendent of the prison.

The Superintendent of a prison may confiscate (or authorise the confiscation of) any reading material with objectionable content.

The Superintendent of a prison may allow recreation for the prisoners in the prison, subject to the considerations of the discipline of prisoners in the prison and the good order of the prison.

A prisoner is not allowed to receive any visitor or send or receive any letter without —

In this Division, a letter includes an electronic mail.

A prisoner has the privilege of sending and receiving letters every month, in accordance with the conditions specified in the Prison Standing Orders, for purposes of maintaining ties with the prisoner’s family and friends.

Subject to paragraph (3), a prisoner has the privilege of receiving visits by such individuals, at such frequency and on such conditions, as allowed or specified in the Prison Standing Orders.

A prisoner who is ordered to be removed from Singapore under the Immigration Act 1959 and detained pending removal must not receive a visit without the Superintendent’s permission.

The Superintendent may authorise any prisoner whose conduct and industry has been excellent, to receive visitors in a room provided for the purpose, and not within the normal visiting cubicles.

The Superintendent of a prison must ensure that a visiting room mentioned in paragraph (4) is supervised by —

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Every letter sent by or to a prisoner may be opened and read by a prison officer.

A copy may be made of every letter sent by or to a prisoner.

A letter sent by or to a prisoner may be withheld if it contains anything that affects the security or good order of the prison.

Paragraphs (2) and (3) do not apply to letters written by a prisoner to the prisoner’s legal adviser and letters written by a prisoner’s legal adviser.

A prisoner in a prison who is represented by a legal adviser may, for the purposes in paragraph (2) —

The purposes mentioned in paragraph (1) are as follows:

To avoid doubt, paragraph (1)(a) does not apply to any person accompanying or assisting the legal adviser.

Subject to paragraph (3) and regulation 49(2), this regulation and regulations 48 and 49 apply to or in relation to, any of the following visitors:

The visitor must provide the prison officer conducting the visit with his or her personal particulars necessary for the verification of the visitor’s identity.

The entry of the visitor into the prison is subject to any condition that may be specified in the Prison Standing Orders, including any conditions relating to the confidentiality of the operations of the prison.

The Superintendent of a prison or a person authorised by the Superintendent may remove from the prison any visitor whose conduct is improper.

A visitor may be searched by a prison officer or an authorised auxiliary police officer, and the search —

A prison officer or an authorised auxiliary police officer conducting a search mentioned in paragraph (1) may impound any article found during the search if the officer is of the opinion that the article —

The visitor may be refused entry to a prison if —

If the visitor is refused entry under paragraph (3), any of the following persons must record the grounds of refusal in a report to the Superintendent of the prison:

The Superintendent of a prison may prohibit visits by a visitor for any period of time that the Superintendent considers necessary if the visitor has —

Paragraph (1) does not apply to —

If a prisoner in a prison commits any act of misconduct, the Superintendent of the prison may postpone or forfeit the prisoner’s privilege of writing and receiving letters and of receiving visits.

To avoid doubt, this regulation does not affect regulation 45.

A female prisoner must be kept apart from a male prisoner.

The Commissioner may, for the purpose of rehabilitating prisoners or ensuring the good order of a prison or the discipline of prisoners in a prison —

A prison officer may search a prisoner —

A prison officer may use any equipment that is approved by the Commissioner to search a prisoner.

A female prisoner must not be searched except by a female prison officer and the search must be conducted in a manner specified in the Prison Standing Orders.

A prison officer who finds a prohibited article on a prisoner must take the prohibited article from the prisoner.

A prisoner must not have a prohibited article in his or her possession.

Subject to paragraph (4), if a prison officer in a prison takes a prohibited article from a prisoner when the prisoner is being admitted into the prison, the prison officer must —

Subject to paragraph (4), if a prison officer in a prison takes a prohibited article from a prisoner after the prisoner has been admitted to the prison, the prison officer must destroy or otherwise dispose of the prohibited article.

If a prohibited article taken by a prison officer from a prisoner under this regulation falls within a specified class of articles in the Prison Standing Orders, the prison officer must deal with the prohibited article in the manner specified in the Prison Standing Orders.

This regulation applies to sentences of corporal punishment passed under section 71(1)(a) or 74(2)(b) of the Act.

The sentence of corporal punishment must not be carried out within 24 hours of the sentence being imposed, unless the Commissioner considers it necessary.

Corporal punishment must not be carried out in instalments.

The Superintendent of a prison and a medical officer for the prison must be present when corporal punishment is being carried out in the prison.

A rattan is to be used for all corporal punishments.

Any punishment with the rattan is to be inflicted in the following manner:

The medical officer mentioned in paragraph (4) may give any direction for preventing injury to other parts of the prisoner’s body that the medical officer considers necessary.

A prisoner in a prison sentenced to confinement in a punishment cell under section 70, 71 or 74 of the Act may only —

The sentence of confinement mentioned in paragraph (1) must —