The state of our prisons is a fair measure of the state of our society.  The Prison Reform Trust works to ensure they are a just, humane and effective. 

Prisons are the most shaming of all our public institutions. The United Kingdom has the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe at 145 per 100,000 of the population - in conditions which are frequently an affront to civilized values, and at great cost to the taxpayer. Yet the vast majority of our prisoners do not present a serious threat to life or limb. Their crimes are such that they can be more humanely, economically and effectively dealt with in the community.

At first sight, our enthusiasm for imprisonment is suprising. Prison has a poor track record. It is hard to show any relationship between a society's rate of incarceration and its rate of crime. Prison keeps some offenders off the streets, but it seems neither to deter nor reform. Judged simply on its effectiveness, prison has been repeatedly condemned as a blunt instrument.

We believe that:

• Prison should be reserved for those whose
offending is so serious that they cannot serve
their sentence in the community.

• Prisoners and their families should be treated
with humanity and respect and have access to
clear information and the opportunity to
represent themselves and have their views
taken into account.

• The Prison Service should provide constructive
regimes in decent, safe conditions that ensure
the well-being of prisoners and prepare them for
resettlement in the community.

• The public, parliament and those
responsible for incarcerating offenders should
be fully informed about the state and
effectiveness of our criminal justice system.

• As the most severe punishment in this country,
imprisonment should remain the ultimate
responsibility of the state, in order to safeguard
prisoners’ human rights.