Rates of smoking amongst prisoners are, on the whole, much higher than in the general population. In this blog, Heino Stöver, Professor of Social Scientific Addiction Research at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, examines global data on smoking in detention facilities, and explores why prevalence rates are so high – and what needs to be […]
15th August 2018
Today marks 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela, and around the world people are reflecting on his legacy. On this centenary, PRI reflects on one of his more recent legacies – the revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, adopted in 2015 as the Nelson Mandela Rules. The Mandela Rules detail the minimum standards […]
18th July 2018
Recently the Council of Europe updated their guidance on restorative justice – processes that bring those harmed by crime or conflict, and those responsible for the harm, into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward. In this blog Dr Ian […]
4th July 2018
In many countries, rates of suicide in prison are high, and it is recognised that prisons can exacerbate mental ill health, heighten vulnerability and increase the risk of self-harm and suicide. Taanvi Ramesh, an Assistant Psychologist in the Mental Health Team at HMP Bedford, discusses the recent international study that she and others conducted on suicide rates […]
13th June 2018
At the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in May 2018, Olivia Rope, PRI’s Policy and Programme Manager, called on the UN and its member states to address the global increase in life sentences and their implementation. In this blog, based on Olivia’s speech, Katie Reade summarises the causes of the current crisis, […]
11th June 2018
PRI has launched its annual flagship publication, Global Prison Trends 2018. Here we publish the foreword to the report, written by the Rt Hon Helen Clark, a Member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Former Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. Every year, Global Prison Trends by […]
15th May 2018
Stigma and discrimination towards those who have been in prison is still prevalent in Georgia, and unemployment is high – making it difficult for women to find jobs. PRI is working on a project that aims to strengthen access to services for female prisoners, former prisoners and probationers who are survivors of violence, discrimination and/or stigma. […]
12th April 2018
What does taking ideology seriously in counter-terrorism strategies mean? Liesbeth van der Heide, a senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), looks at the role ideology plays in the passage to violent extremism. Since 2012, an estimated 5,000 men, women and children have travelled to join conflicts in Syria and Iraq. In […]
3rd April 2018
In 2017 alone, at least 119 people were killed during prison riots in Brazil, while other prisoners have simply disappeared. Henrique Apolinario, a lawyer at Conectas Human Rights, discusses what needs to be done in order to avoid further tragedies and to address the underlying causes of the crisis. 2017 started with terrible news in Brazil. […]
28th March 2018
Educational opportunities and rehabilitation programmes that take the specific needs of women into account are needed in Uganda in order to break the cycles of poverty among women and ensure that they are not left behind, says PRI’s Africa Programme Manager Doreen N Kyazze. There is a growing number of women and girls entering the criminal justice system […]
22nd February 2018