Education in Prisons - A National Survey
Nick Flynn and David Price

This report includes an analysis of recent developments, discusses the purpose of education in a prison setting, and presents the results of a unique survey of education co-ordinators in prisons across the country.

1995 ISBN: 0 946209 32 4  Download as PDF

'A Good and Useful Life': Constructive Prison Regimes

This booklet includes contributions from both inside and outside the prison system, including chapters on prison industries and regimes for young offenders.

1995 ISBN: 0 946209 30 8

"Have You Got a Minute?" The Changing Role of Boards of Visitors
Anne Worrall

Based on interviews and questionnaires with Board members, this pamphlet presents a detailed and challenging account of how Boards operate in practice.

1994 ISBN: 0 946209 28 6

Having Their Say: The Work of Prisoner Councils
Enver Solomon and Kimmett Edgar

This is the first in-depth study of consultative forums for prisoners, known as prisoner councils. Using results form a survey of prisons in England and Wales, as well as interviews with prisoners and staff, it highlights examples of good practice where prisoner councils have improved communication between management and prisoners. Having Their Say calls for a cultural change in the Prison Service's approach to prisoner representation.

2004 ISBN: 0 946209 68 5 Download as PDF 

Just Visiting? A Review of the Role of Prison Visitors' Centres              Dr Nancy Loucks (produced by PRT and the Federation of Prisoners' Families Support Groups - now Action for Prisoners' Families (APF))

In January 2002 Prison Reform Trust, working in partnership with The Federation of Prisoners' Families Support Groups (now APF) completed a research study of prison visitors' centres funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The research, carried out by Dr Nancy Loucks, highlighted examples of good practice, looked at the funding of individual visitors' centres, and examined why some prisons have a visitors centres and the benefits they gain from it.

2002 ISBN: 0 946209 58 8 Download as PDF

Keeping in Touch: The Case for Family Support Work in Prison
Dr Nancy Loucks

This report reviews the extent and nature of the work of family contact development officers in Scottish prisons and looks at the benefits for prisoners' families, prisoners and the prisons themselves. It examines the difficulties posed by overcrowding, funding shortfalls and limited support. It presents a clear case for the introduction of these officers in prisons in England and Wales and draws on research in Scotland which suggests that these posts work well if and when they are adequately resourced and properly integrated as an important part of the regime.

2005 ISBN 0 946209 65 0 Download PDF

'Making Prisons Work': PRT Annual Lecture 1998
Rt Hon Jack Straw MP, Home Secretary

'Making Prisons Work' focuses on current challenges faced by the Prison Service and the prospects for additional programmes after the Comprehensive Spending Review.

1998 ISBN: 0 946209 44 8 Download PDF 

A Measure of Success: an analysis of the Prison Service's performance against its Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 2003-2004
Enver Solomon

The basis of this briefing was the Prison Service's own published performance targets, which showed that at the end of August, 82 of our 139 prisons were overcrowded.

2004 Download a PDF

Prison Magazines: A Survey and Guide

An assessment of prison magazines and the problems they have faced.

1994 ISBN: 0 946209 27 8

Prison Overcrowding: The Inside Story
Joe Levenson

This major report is the most comprehensive study of prison overcrowding and its effects to have been published since the Woolf Report in 1991. Over 100 Boards of Visitors, the independent watchdogs which monitor prisons and safeguard the rights of prisoners, took part in a study carried out be the Prison Reform Trust and the National Advisory Council of Boards of Visitors. The majority of Boards of Visitors expressed concern at prison numbers and said that prison overcrowding was adversely affecting the prison they monitored.

2002  ISBN 0 94620 9 61 8 Photocopy only available

Report of the Committee on Local Monitoring of Prison Establishments
Chairman: Sir Timothy Raison

The report of an independent inquiry into the works of Boards of Visitors and related matters, commissioned by the Prison Reform Trust.

1993 ISBN: 0 946209 31 6

Restoring Relationships: The Purpose of Prisons (PRTrust Annual Lecture 1996)
Dr George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury

In his powerful and significant contribution, Dr Carey argues that prisons must aim to rehabilitate, and must attempt to restore relationships between offenders, their families and society in general.

1996 ISBN: 0 946209 35 9 Download as PDF

Time to Learn: Prisoners' Views on Prison Education
Julia Braggins and Jenny Talbot

In the past five years prison education has moved up the political and social agenda. However, despite this focus, very little independent research has been done on prisoners' own views of their education needs. This report sets out to fill this gap. The researchers interviewed a diverse cross-section of prisoners - both in and not in education - exploring their experiences and giving a voice to their ideas on how to develop prison education to reflect their needs.

2003 ISBN: 0 946209 67 7 Download as PDF