After a tumultuous summer shaped by change in Downing Street, uncertainty over sentencing changes and a deepening overcrowding crisis, what does the prison system in England and Wales look like today? And what does the future hold?
This will be the focus of our 17th event in the Howard League Spotlights series. We will be looking at a public service that has been stretched and stretched again – to the point where about half of prisons are holding more people than they are designed to accommodate, and recruiting and retaining enough staff remain constant challenges.
Our discussion will take place only a few days after changes introduced under the Sentencing Act begin to take effect, paving the way for thousands of people to be released from custody earlier in their sentences. How have prisons prepared for this? How much disruption was caused by the Prime Minister’s decision to review the details, delaying the process by a month? What have Howard League members in prison been telling us about the situation behind bars?
This online event will be hosted by our Chief Executive, Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.). The panel will include:
- Tom Wheatley, President of the Prison Governors’ Association.
- Ryan Walker, Development Support Officer at Howard League, and a person with lived experience of the criminal justice system.
This free event will be held on Thursday 8 October, from 12pm to 1.15pm, online via Zoom webinar.
For anyone who cannot make it, this event will be recorded and made available on our YouTube channel.
About the Howard League Spotlights series
Howard League Spotlights is a series of events aimed at lifting the lid on prisons and finding more effective ways to reduce crime. Each event focuses on a particular theme and brings together experts to approach the issue from different perspectives.
Spotlights events are free of charge, but if you would like to support our work, please consider becoming a Howard League member.
Recordings of all Spotlights events can be viewed here.
-
Join the Howard League
We are the world's oldest prison charity, bringing people together to advocate for change.
Join us and make your voice heard -
Support our work
We safeguard our independence and do not accept any funding from government.
Make a donation