In April 1999, representatives from fifty countries in all five continents met in Surrey, England to consider A New Approach for Penal Reform in a New Century. Government ministers and officials, parliamentarians, judges and representatives of international, regional and national nongovernmental organisations concerned with penal reform and human rights discussed the role of the criminal justice system and in particular the prison in a civil and democratic society.

Those present agreed a new agenda for penal reform for the next decade. This publication outlines this agenda.