text: **2. Recent trends in the population**
  
  The ‘Story of the Prison Population 1993 to 2012’ is an in-depth look at what 
  happened to the prison population between 1993 and 2012 and the major 
  factors contributing to the changes.4 
  
  The prison population grew rapidly between 1993 to 2008, at an average of 
  4% a year. This rapid rise was driven by: 
  
   
  
  increased numbers of people sentenced to immediate custody from 
  1993 to 2002; 
  
   
  
  increases in the average custodial sentence length and increased use 
  of indeterminate sentences; and 
  
   an increase in numbers recalled to prison following breaches of the 
  conditions of licence and these offenders spending longer in prison 
  once recalled. 