Resources listing

Report

Global Prison Trends annual series

Global Prison Trends is PRI's annual flagship series. Published every year since 2015, the series identifies topical developments and challenges in criminal justice and prison policy and practice, and contributes to the monitoring of crime trends and operations of criminal justice systems.

Languages: English

Briefing

Deaths in prison: Examining causes, responses, and prevention

Mortality rates are up to 50% higher in prison than in the community, linked to a wide range of causes and contributing factors which raise serious concerns for human rights, public health, and prison management. This briefing is a call to action for the international community and national actors to strengthen their approach to deaths in prisons, to take pro-active measures to prevent loss of life and, when deaths do occur, to respond appropriately to identify any systemic concerns and prevent future harm.

Languages: English

Annual Report

Annual Report 2021

PRI’s Annual Report outlines the impact of our work and achievements in 2021 nationally, regionally and internationally. Highlights in 2021 included: Publication of the Global Prison Trends 2021, in partnership with the Thailand Institute of Justice (our annual flagship publication); 17 expert blogs, covering topics from period poverty in prison to corporal punishment in penal systems, […]

Languages: English

Briefing

Technical brief: Transgender people and HIV in prisons and other closed settings

Transgender people often experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, including in criminal justice systems. Evidence indicates that such marginalisation, criminalisation and discrimination can lead to greater vulnerability to and risk of long-term mental and physical health issues, including increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and experience of sexual assault. This technical […]

Languages: English

Event

Event: World Drug Day 2022

On World Drug Day 2022, several UN human rights experts will release a new joint statement calling on the international community to acknowledge the devastating consequences of punitive approaches to drug control, and to shift the emphasis of global responses towards supporting people involved with drugs. This joint statement adds to the growing calls for […]

Languages: English

Event

Event: Decisive action to reform laws that criminalise poverty and status

Side event to the 31st Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Co-organised by Ghana, Mexico, South Africa, the United States, Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status, International Drug Policy Consortium, International Legal Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Penal Reform International, African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum, Community Advice Offices South Africa, Office […]

Languages: English, French, Portuguese

Event

Event: Prisons in crisis – Conflict, climate change and COVID-19

Side event to the 31st Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Co-organised by Penal Reform International; Government of Liechtenstein; Correctional Service Canada; Justice and Corrections Service, Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions, UN Department of Peace Operations; American Civil Liberties Union; Prison Insider; and International Penal and Penitentiary […]

Languages: English

Event

Event: Global Prison Trends 2022

Global Prison Trends is Penal Reform International’s annual flagship report, published with the Thailand Institute of Justice, identifying the key trends and challenges in prison systems worldwide. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, despite repeated calls to reduce prison populations since the onset of the crisis, the global prison population has reached an all-time high. Global […]

Languages: Arabic, English

Event

Event: Practical measures for the prohibition of arbitrary detention in drug control

Side event at the 65th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, organised by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with the support of Canada, Ghana, Switzerland, United Kingdom, European Union, National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, Commission of Human Rights of the Philippines, Global Commission on Drug Policy, Harm Reduction International, […]

Languages: English, Spanish

Guidelines

Good governance for prisons during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic

This guide is based on research into the COVID-19 justice response around the world, including a particular focus on the responses in Kenya and Kazakhstan. The analysis examines the elements of justice system governance which enabled the sector to react quickly and effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic in prisons as well as the factors which inhibited timely, relevant responses. The guide aims to inform better governance in any future crisis situations, as well as the direction of penal reform more broadly.

Languages: English