The penalties for escaping can all be found in the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 . The maximum penalty for escaping from a prison is seven years imprisonment [s.254]. Court decisions have significantly increased the penalty for escaping R v Knight (1986) 42 SASR 227, R v Forrest (1986) 46 SASR 75 and R v Turner and Clarke (1995) 65 A Crim R 178.

The original sentence of a prison escapee is not being served while he or she is unlawfully at large [Correctional Services Act 1982 s.50(3)].