Prison Reform Trust
15 Northburgh Street
London
EC1V 0AH
020 72515070
The
prison reform trust campaigns for better conditions in prison and greater use
of alternative punishments. The work of the trust is aimed at creating a humane
and effective penal system. This is done by;
¼
inquiring
into the working of the system,
¼
informing
prisoners, staff and the general public,
¼
influencing Parliament, the Government and
officials towards reform.
The
Prison Reform Trust is a charity that was founded in 1981 where industrialist
Sir Monty Finniston was the founder chairperson.
The
trust is completely independent of the government and relies only on voluntary
donations and subscriptions to fund its work (research into prison regimes and
monitor prisons conditions, educate the public about penal issues, and campaign
for constructive prison regimes and larger use of community penalties).
The
Prison Reform Trust offers advice and information to thousands of people every
year (prisoners, their families, prison and probate staff, the legal
profession, and interested members of the public). It also produces a unique
series of Prisoners Information Books, which go to every prisoner.
As
well as offering advice and information, the trust carries out research on all
aspects of prison (recent studies include the Woolf Report, Human Rights Act, And Mental Health in prisons).
According
to the research done by the PRT, the
They
argue that a prison is not the most appropriate punishment for effectiveness,
but when it is, the PRT want to ensure that it is a just and effective system
and prisoners are encouraged and helped in their efforts not to return.
Young Parents In Prison
The
Prison Reform Trust is carrying out research to address the needs of young
fathers and mothers and builds links to support them on release.
They
aim to see fewer young parents being held in prison and are campaigning for
effective community alternatives to be used.
By
the end of this project, the PRT aims to have extended the opportunity available
for supporting young parents receiving community service.
The
PRTs objectives are to establish accurate and up-to-date statistics in the
numbers of young parents held in custody.
Unlocking Prisoners Rights
The
PRT hopes to obtain funding for a programme of work that examines how the
Government could better promote the economical, social and political rights of
prisoners.
They
aim on working to ensure that prisoners received the righted in the Human
Rights Act. The PRT also hope to highlight ways in which the rights of
prisoners should be extended and to scrutinise proposed legislation to ensure
that it promotes the rights of prisoners.
In
the year 2000, David Ramsbortham (chief inspector of prisons) published a
report of the conditions inside Dorchester Prison.
Alan
Knox (current deputy governor) describes that 80% of convicted prisoners are
now employed in the prison workshop. He also mentioned health care in
Sentencing Study
The
PRT is working with
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identify factors that tip the balance towards
or away from the use of custody by judges and magistrates.
¼
Produce
proposals that would encourage greater use of community penalties (while
keeping the public safe)!
The
study will be conducted in 2 phases; the 1st phase will involve
45-50 judges and 10 magistrates. Depending on the outcome of this phase, there
will be a 2nd phase, which will involve larger questionnaire-based
survey of sentencers.
In
conclusion, The Prison Reform Trust is a pressure group which wants to see
better conditions inside prison and a wider use of the alternative punishments
(such as community work), rather than imprisonment, making our prisons even
more full. It does this mostly by influencing Parliament, the Government and
officials towards a reform.Ý
Facts:
The Prisons League Table 2001-2002
The best and worst prisons in
Assaults (rate of assaults on prisoners and staff as a proportion of prisoners)
KPI target: 9%
|
Highest |
|
|
|
|
|
1. Ashfield (male juveniles) |
74.1% |
|
2. Huntercombe (male juveniles) |
69% |
|
3. Castington YOI |
64.2% |
|
4. Werrington (male juveniles) |
61% |
|
5. Brinsford YOI |
47.7 % |
The safest prisons were Blantyre House,
Drug use (percentage of random mandatory drug tests that were positive)
KPI target: 12%
|
Highest |
|
|
Lowest |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. Lewes |
31.6% |
|
1. |
0% |
|
2. Blakenhurst |
27.5% |
|
2. Kirklevington/Wakefield |
1% |
|
3. Risley |
23.9% |
|
3. Swinfen Hall YOI |
1.3% |
|
4. Haverigg |
23.4% |
|
4. Foston Hall |
1.8% |
|
5. |
23.1% |
|
5. Whatton/Latchmere |
1.9% |
Purposeful activity (average number of hours per prisoner per week)
KPI target: 24 hours
|
Highest |
|
|
Lowest |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. Latchmere House |
61.2 hours |
|
1. Belmarsh |
11 hours |
|
2. Kirklevington Grange |
51.6 hours |
|
2. Bullingdon |
13.8 hours |
|
3. |
49 hours |
|
3. Pentonville |
15 hours |
|
4. Thorn Cross YOI |
43.9 hours |
|
4. Haslar |
15.2 hours |
|
5. Kirkham |
43.4 hours |
|
5. Holme House |
15.5 hours |
† Every prisoner
costs about £25,000 a year to keep in custody. A night in a police cell costs
more than a night in
† Up to a third of
prisoners have some identifiable psychiatric disorder.
† Prison is
ineffective at reducing crime. Half of all prisoners (and nearly two thirds of
young prisoners) reoffend within two years.
† On average, one
prisoner commits suicide every four to five days.