Life imprisonment in England and Wales

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In England and Wales, life imprisonment is a sentence that lasts until the death of the prisoner, although in most cases the prisoner will be eligible for parole after a minimum term ("tariff") set by the judge. In exceptional cases a judge may impose a "whole life order", meaning that the offender is never considered for parole, although they may still be released on compassionate grounds at the discretion of the home secretary. Whole-life orders are usually imposed for aggravated murder. The general age limit for a whole life order is 21, however those aged 18 to 20 may be granted a whole life order under exceptional circumstances. Until 1957, the mandatory sentence for all adults convicted of murder was death by hanging. The Homicide Act 1957 limited the circumstances in which murderers could be executed, mandating life imprisonment in all other cases. Capital punishment for murder was suspended for 5 years by the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 and was abolished in 1969...

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