When criminals are jailed, they are handed a minimum number of years they must spend behind bars at sentencing.
Those who have committed the most horrific offences - such as murder and rape - can be sentenced to life imprisonment, but this does not always mean life. Most of the time, even these criminals will be given a minimum term they must serve before being considered for release by the Parole Board.
Occasionally, judges sentence the most dangerous criminals to 'whole life orders' - meaning they will never be considered for release and will die in prison.
