About
Since 1981 the Prison Reform Trust has supported those locked into our prison system – prisoners and their families – to ensure that those without a voice get heard.
The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) is an independent UK charity working to create a just, humane and effective penal system.
PRT was founded in 1981 to inform and influence public debate on prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners, amidst concerns about a projected prison population of 48,000 by 1984. With the prison population in England and Wales now exceeding 82,000 and projected to rise to 86,400 by 2023, the charity remains as important to civic society today as it was then.
We are one of the few organisations willing and equipped to hold the state to account for its treatment of vulnerable people in prison. Our reputation, built on almost four decades of knowledgeable, reliable analysis and presentation of the facts, gives us influence behind the scenes that few organisations can match.
Our main objectives
- reducing unnecessary imprisonment and promoting community solutions to crime;
- improving treatment and conditions for prisoners and their families; and
- promoting equality and human rights in the justice system.
We do this by inquiring into the workings of the system; informing prisoners, staff and the wider public; and by influencing Parliament, government and officials towards reform.
Whilst often working alongside the prison service and maintaining close links with government departments including the Ministry of Justice, HM Treasury, and the Home Office, to retain its independence PRT does not seek or accept Government funding. The structure and rigour of programmes are agreed with those trusts and foundations that generously fund our work.
People
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Our staff
Our staffFind out more about the people that make the Prison Reform Trust and how to contact them.
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Our trustees
Our trusteesFind out more about our Board of Trustees.
Our history
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Prison Reform Trust: The first 40 years
Our historyIn this short history, we set out our work and achievements during the first 40 years of the Prison Reform Trust, and detail how the charity has grown and adapted in response to the challenges set by its founders in 1981.
Our accounts and strategic plan
View all- May 2018 Prison Reform Trust Strategic Plan 2018-2023 The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) was founded in 1981 to inform and influence public debate on prison co... Prison Reform Trust Strategic Plan 2018-2023
- September 2023 Report and accounts 2022–23 The trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial statements of the Priso... Report and accounts 2022–23
