Howard League Blog

As part of the Howard League's work on racial disparities in youth justice, we have been exploring the use of remand to youth detention in England and Wales. While the number of children sentenced to custody has fallen steadily in the past 10 years, the number of children on remand has not reduced at the same …  Read more

This week, HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) published an inspection report on Werrington prison, a young offender institution (YOI) holding boys aged 15 to 18. The report spoke to something that we at the Howard League have been saying for many years – that prison is no place for a child.   Among its key findings, …  Read more

Lowdham Grange prison was once described as “among the most impressive category B training prisons in the system”. But a recent report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons reveals that this is now a jail in dire straits, with the lowest possible ratings for safety and respect.  Read more

Now that David Gauke’s sentencing review has delivered its recommendations, we expect legislation to be introduced any day. This legislation will start to fill in what is currently an incomplete picture, as we wait to understand precisely how the government will interpret the review’s recommendations and go about turning them into operational reality.  Read more

The June 2025 issue of the Howard Journal of Crime and Justice is the final issue to have been put together by Brenda McWilliams, who is retiring from her post as Production Editor.  Read more

We have issued legal proceedings in the High Court, because a secure training centre has been locking up children and young people alone in their rooms for longer than the law allows.  Read more

In November of last year, major changes were made to the way IPP licences can be terminated. IPP sentences are already complex and often hard to navigate, so the prospect of further changes caused a lot of concern for people in prison and their families, as well as professionals. Along with law firm Peters & Peters, …  Read more

In a hugely welcome development, the new government has now published its own Mental Health Bill and this was introduced into the House of Lords last week. Meetings involving ministers and officials are now being held and the Howard League is pleased to be at the table as a range of important reforms are being discussed.   Read more