PRT comment: Independent Review into Releases in Error | Prison Reform Trust Releases in error expose chronic prison staffing and system failures in our justice system

Review into releases in error exposes chronic prison staffing and system failures.

Read our full response to Dame Lynne Owens’ review prisonreformtrust.org.uk/prt-comment-...

"Urgent notifications appear to have become the new way for HM Prison and Probation Service to prioritise resources within their crumbling estate..."

Read our full comment on today's report on HMP Manchester by @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
prisonreformtrust.org.uk/prt-comment-...

Ministers announce huge expansion of electronic tagging in England and Wales Most dangerous offenders on probation will now be watched more closely, says government

Ministers announce huge expansion of electronic tagging in England and Wales
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Today's report from @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social shows the missed opportunities to involve families in effective rehabilitation, and the barriers they face in providing emotional and practical support to their loved ones.

Read our full comment at prisonreformtrust.org.uk/prt-comment-...

‘Green shoots’ in drive to cut number of women in England and Wales prisons Prisons minister says more women should be diverted away from jail – and new board aims to bring about that change

‘Green shoots’ in drive to cut number of women in England and Wales prisons www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

PRT comment: Funding boost for services supporting vulnerable women in the justice system New funding signals renewed commitment from the government to addressing the root causes of offending by women

The announcement today of nearly £32 million of investment to tackle the root causes of women’s offending is a powerful and important signal that this government has listened and is willing to walk the walk.

Read our full response to today's announcement prisonreformtrust.org.uk/prt-comment-...

✏️New research in @prtuk.bsky.social's Bromley Briefings reveals 72% of prisons are overcrowded, up from 63% in 2023-24, amidst worsening safety outcomes from prisoners and staff.

Find out more: shorturl.at/JcGCt

The damage or loss of prisoners’ property undermines the crucial relationship between staff and prisoners. It also results in hours of additional work for staff responding to complaints, who are understandably frustrated.

Read our full response prisonreformtrust.org.uk/prt-comment-...

Report underlines “urgent need to reduce demand on our critically overburdened prisons” | Prison Reform Trust

Our latest edition of the Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile is out now. Find it at prisonreformtrust.org.uk/report-under...

New prison places: HMP Millsike opened in 2025, adding 1,468 places to the prison estate, and a further 1,420 have been added through other measures. Overcrowding remains a challenge, with fewer than 1,500 places available for half of 2025.

Prison Refurbishment and Maintenance: The prison estate struggles with ageing infrastructure. 21,000 places are not fire safety compliant—with £1.4bn is needed to meet current legal requirements. 183 places are affected by deteriorating RAAC concrete.

Emergency Measures: Overcrowding in prisons led to emergency measures in 2024, including early releases. The SDS40 scheme released 38,042 people after serving 40% of their sentence, but overcrowding remains a critical issue across the prison estate.

A line chart showing the rising prison population in England and Wales. It has nearly doubled since 1990 and stood at 87,056 on 8 December 2025, and is predicted to rise to 99,600 by 2028.

Overcrowding: Almost three-quarters of prisons (72%) in England and Wales were overcrowded in 2024–25, with over 21,600 people held in conditions they weren’t designed for. Overcrowding has persisted for 30 years, impacting safety and rehabilitation efforts.

A line chart showing the proportion of prison leavers in England and Wales in employment after 6 weeks, and 6 months since their release.

Employment: Employment rates for prison leavers are improving, with 35% in work six months after release in 2024–25, up 21 percentage points in four years.

Education: Literacy levels in prisons remain low—66% of assessments in 2024–25 showed literacy skills below the level expected of an 11-year-old or younger. Education reduces reoffending, yet only 32% of inspected prisons provided education at a reasonable standard.

Purposeful activity: In 2024–25, only 26% of adult prisons were rated positively for purposeful activity. Many prisoners spend less than two hours out of their cells daily, impacting mental health and rehabilitation. Greater focus is essential for reducing reoffending.

Use of Force: This has risen in over 40% of inspected men’s prisons. PAVA spray incidents rose by 47% in 2024, with disproportionate use against Black and Muslim prisoners. Women in prison experience higher rates of force, often for non-compliance or self-harm.

A line chart showing the rates of assault and serious assault in prisons in England and Wales. Following a dip around the Covid-19 pandemic rates have continued to rise and are approaching record levels.

Assaults in Prison: Rates of assaults continue to rise, and the number of recorded assaults has reached record levels in the female estate—a 10% increase in the year to June 2025. Assaults in the male estate are also nearing record levels.

A bar chart showing that the rates of self-harm in prisons in England and Wales are rising, with 910 incidents per 1,000 prisoners—up from 303 in 2014, and 688 in 2020.

Self-Harm in Prison: There has been a concerning rise in self-harm incidents, with over 79,000 recorded in 2024. Women, who make up only 4% of the prison population, accounted for nearly three in 10 incidents (28%), emphasising the need for targeted support.

A graphic showing that 411 people in prison in England and Wales died in the year to September 2025, with one pie chart showing that 96 deaths (almost a quarter) were self-inflicted, and another showing that of those 90 were men and six were women

Deaths in Prison: The latest Bromley Briefings reveal that 411 people died in prison in the year to September 2025, with nearly a quarter of these self-inflicted. Deaths in custody remain significantly higher than a decade ago, underscoring the urgent need for improvements to safety measures.

Report underlines “urgent need to reduce demand on our critically overburdened prisons” | Prison Reform Trust

New report reveals that the prison capacity crisis in England and Wales is impacting all aspects of performance. Our latest Bromley Briefings show deteriorating levels of safety, purposeful activity and overcrowding in prisons. 🧵

prisonreformtrust.org.uk/report-under...

Reading for rehabilitation, A thematic review by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, January 2026.

Today we have published 'Reading for rehabilitation', which shows how a vibrant prison reading culture can support prisoners’ rehabilitation.

Read the report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...

And press release: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/strong-...

It is shocking that a prison tasked with the care and rehabilitation of men serving some of the longest sentences on the estate has been allowed to descend to such an appalling level.

Read our full response to the Urgent Notification at prisonreformtrust.org.uk/prt-comment-...

Just one week to go!

Join us for an evening of choral music, carols, and guest speakers, followed by a glass of wine and a mince pie. A chance for PRT friends and supporters to gather, celebrate and reflect on our shared goals for prison reform.

🎟️ prisonreformtrust2.beaconforms.com/form/f7e01cdc

A felt-tip drawing of a group of five children in a line holding hands

Find out more about our work to develop Child Impact Assessments, which ensure that children who are impacted by a family member's incarceration feel listened to and included in decision-making about their needs and support prisonreformtrust.org.uk/project/wome...

A call to action right here, right now! | Prison Reform Trust

Today is #WorldChildrensDay. This year's theme is “my day, my rights", echoing our call for children with a close family member in contact with the justice system to get the support they need Right here, right now!

prisonreformtrust.org.uk/a-call-to-ac...

A felt-tip drawing of five children in a line holding hands.

Find out more about our work to develop Child Impact Assessments, which ensure that children who are impacted by a family member's incarceration feel listened to and included in decision-making about their needs and support
prisonreformtrust.org.uk/project/wome...

An illustration of three Christmas trees, with details of the Prison Reform Trust carol concert beneath. Full details read "Thursday 11th of December, 7:00pm–8:30pm. St George's Church, Hanover Square, London, W1S 1FX

Join us for an evening of choral music, carols, and guest speakers, followed by a glass of wine and a mince pie. A chance for PRT friends and supporters to gather, celebrate and reflect on our shared goals for prison reform

Book your tickets here: prisonreformtrust2.beaconforms.com/form/f7e01cdc

Building Futures showcase: voices of leadership and hope from inside | Prison Reform Trust

Last week, we were proud to host the Building Futures showcase @manchester.ac.uk — a powerful celebration of the achievements, learning, and impact of the Building Futures programme.

Read more at prisonreformtrust.org.uk/building-fut...

We’ve signed a joint letter calling on the Government to remove the courts’ power to remand people “for their own protection.”

This harmful practice places vulnerable individuals—especially women and children—in custody when they need care.