CAMPAIGN:

We understand that the government is deliberating whether to authorise the use of PAVA spray on children in prison.

We are preparing to take whatever steps necessary to challenge it, including potential legal action – and we need your support.

howardleague.org/blog/dont-let-…

'At a time when the picture in prisons is especially bleak, it is good to remember that some truly impressive work is done in the most difficult of circumstances.'

Read our response to HMI Prisons thematic review on behaviour: howardleague.org/news/hope-and-…

The government's sentencing bill won’t fix its prison problems

In this new comment piece, Cassia Rowland argues that the new sentencing bill will not resolve capacity problems – so the government’s claims of tougher sentences are not credible

instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/govern…

I really admire the PGA. Nobody in prisons is stuck between a cleft stick more than the governors. I thought Tom Wheatley did a great job on the news earlier.

There’s more to come! We are planning the next stages of our campaign to keep up the pressure. Watch out for #our5asks

Great to see Wandsworth Prison Improvement Campaign campaign event on tonight’s Channel 4 News—the event had 250 people in the audience. It was one of the most impressive grassroots events I’ve had the pleasure to speak at for The Howard League in a long time. 👏

NEW ON THE BLOG: When HMI Prisons last visited Bedford prison, they found a landing which was so flooded with sewage that staff kept sandbags to help stem the tide.

Find out about what has happened since the prison received an Urgent Notification: howardleague.org/blog/the-segre…

Special Magazine Editors' Panel, with Jo Clement (Dr Jo Clement) of Butcher's Dog Publishing, Lisa Kelly of Magma Poetry, and Ben Townley-Canning of fourteenpoems, chaired by Andrew Neilson of Bad Lilies.

20/04. 10:45 – 11:30. £3. Free Verse, St Columba's, SW1X 0BD.

poetrysociety.org.uk/event/free-ver…

We could not agree more. Many thanks to all our speakers including Pia sinha, Andrew Neilson, Ruth Cadbury MP 💙, Fleur Anderson MP, and Fred Ponsonby for their commitment and the ex-inmates and brave mothers who told the inside story at HMP Wandsworth

Packed Wandsworth Prison Improvement Campaign mtg last night: we heard how prisoners have little chance of rehabilitation as they’re locked x2 in vermin-infested squalid cells 22hrs pd with inadequate food, meds, clothing, education
& most of all a complete lack of humanity from the regime 1/2

“Why should voters care if prison’s really awful, where not much education, rehabilitation happens?”

“Our reoffending rate in this country costs about £18bn a year.”
David Shipley, in prison 2020-2021 says reoffending makes up around a third of the cost of total crime.

Gov will introduce new offence of common assault against a shop worker bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi… but the maximum sentence will be the same as common assault is now. Great that The British Retail Consortium, UsdawUnion & Yvette Cooper have recognised increased max sentence would be counterproductive

The prison system is buckling under the weight of chronic overcrowding and staff shortages, and HMI Prisons report on Peterborough shows the impact.

Read our response here: howardleague.org/news/peterboro…

NEW: Sure Start, England’s first large programme to provide holistic support to families with children under five, greatly improved disadvantaged children’s GCSE results.

Read Nick Ridpath Sarah Cattan Pedro Carneiro’s report, funded by Nuffield Foundation: ifs.org.uk/publications/s…

In an election year, this forward-looking discussion about justice couldn’t be more timely.

The panellists met up yesterday …. Forget Question Time, PMQ’s, the Monday lunchtime panel is going to be a cracker.

Register ⬇️

sounddelivery.org.uk/our-events/doi…

Prison Reform Trust The Howard League

Was reminded of this poem tonight and how much I love it. A favorite.

This is a new, “flagship” prison. When you hear government ministers say there is no money available, ask them why they keep squandering public money on building more failing prisons.

I disagree with some of this but it is one of the shameful things for Scotland’s political monoculture that this piece has to appear on Mailonline. There’s so much energy expended on the evils of London, but in Scotland it’s remarkable how domineering Edinburgh and Glasgow is!

Thinking today about memorable poems. More exact: *the most memorable poems*. Frost’s ‘Provide, Provide’ must surely rank in my pantheon. The form, opening imagery! Glorious. So easy to take by rote. Ian Hamilton omitted it from his Penguin Selected. Why? poetryverse.com/robert-frost-p…

Good evening twits. You all are aware what a fan I am of the blinking marvellous RestartDogs They've only gone & taken it a step further with setting up a through the gate charity to assist in employment when the trainers leave prison. Give them a follow on Taking the Lead Charity