giving young women a voice

Girls and young women are being asked to write about their major concerns and the issues that could prevent them achieving their potential - which may result in action to improve the lives of millions of people.

The influential National Council of Women is holding a national competition asking women under 30: If you could influence Government to take some action to improve the lives of women, what would it be?

Click here to find out more

community justice for women

Thousands of vulnerable women who have committed non-violent offences are unnecessarily sent to prison each year in England and Wales. Just before Christmas, the House of Lords amended the Crime and Courts Bill to ensure that appropriate community-based options for women should be provided across England and Wales. Unfortunately, the amendment was struck out in the House of Commons, on 5 February.

Listen to PRT's director, Juliet Lyon and Joy Doal of the Anawim women's centre, talking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour about the vital role community sentences have in reducing women's reoffending.

Prison and disability

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, was a guest on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme on Monday 20 August talking about the treatment of people with disabilities and social care needs in prison. Listen to the programme by clicking this link.

People want offenders to make amends, poll reveals

ICM survey results offer massive vote of support for community payback and restorative justice.

The results of an ICM telephone poll of 1,000 members of the public, conducted one month after the riots in England, show overwhelming popular support for constructive ways in which offenders can make amends to victims for the harm they have caused.

Read more and by clicking this link

smartjustice for women

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Reforming women’s justice in England & Wales, and Scotland

11/09/2012 16:00:00

The Prison Reform Trust has recently provided evidence and a submission to the Justice Committee’s inquiry on women offenders, and the Scottish Prison Service’s consultation on women in custody.

Read our responses here

PRT welcomes appointment of Chris Grayling as Justice Secretary

05/09/2012 11:03:00

The Prison Reform Trust has welcomed the appointment of Chris Grayling as Justice Secretary and called on him to have the “strength and courage” to build on the important programme of justice reform begun by Ken Clarke.

Most prisons are overcrowded

28/08/2012 11:20:00

Overcrowding and high reoffending rates are a fact of life in today’s prison system according to an analysis of recent prison population statistics by the Prison Reform Trust. Despite opening two new prisons this year with a capacity of 2,500 places, 59% of prisons in England and Wales are operating at an overcrowded level.

Although the growth in the prison population has slowed down in recent months, prompting plans to close HMP Wellingborough, there are still 7,294 more people in the prison system than it is designed and built to hold. On 31 July 2012, there were 77 out of 131 establishments over the Prison Service’s Certified Normal Accommodation: “the good, decent standard of accommodation that the Service aspires to provide all prisoners”.

Mockery made of "innocent until proven guilty"

21/08/2012 13:33:00

Commenting on the HM Inspectorate of Prisons thematic review of remand prisoners, Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said:

People held on remand awaiting trial are innocent until proven guilty but the findings of this worrying review make a mockery of that principle. It’s clear that people remanded into custody are often held in worse conditions and receive less help and support than those convicted of a crime and serving a prison sentence.

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featured publication

Prepared by Jenny Talbot for frontline staff in the criminal justice system and the NHS, Fair Access to Justice? explains how people with a learning disability who have to appear in court are given extra support or 'special measures' to help them understand and cope with the process. The briefing states that vulnerable defendants should be legally entitled to the same support, in order to ensure they get a fair trial.

Talking Justice

Care not Custody

Turning Young Lives Around