Prisons and the use of imprisonment

ICPR undertakes a wide-ranging programme of research on prisons and the use of imprisonment. This includes UK-based studies on such topics as the use of restorative approaches to tackling conflict in prisons. ICPR also conducts international, comparative research through its World Prison Research Programme, which aims to inform and promote debate and policy reform in collaboration with a wide network of stakeholders and research partners. The Programme encompasses compiling and hosting the World Prison Brief: an online database holding statistics and other information on prison systems worldwide. See www.prisonstudies.org for further information.

Current projects

Consultancy: Dalberg Advisors

Unlocking Potential: towards effective, sustainable, and ethical provision of work opportunities for prisoners and prison leavers

World Prison Brief

Completed projects include:

A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management: Handbook for Prison Staff

Language Barriers in the Criminal Justice System

Restorative Prisons

The criminalization of poverty and status: its implications for prison systems and penal reform in Africa, the Caribbean, South Asia and the Pacific

Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in ten countries

Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

Publications

Heard, Catherine (2020) 'Commentary: Assessing the Global Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Prison Populations.' Victims and Offenders, Volume 15, Issue 6.

Roy Walmsley (2020) World Pre-trial/Remand Imprisonment List (4th edition) London: ICPR

Coyle, Andrew and Fair, Helen (2019) Gérer les prisons dans le respect des droits de l’homme: Manuel destiné au personnel pénitentiaire (3éme édition). Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research, London.

Heard, Catherine and Fair, Helen (2019) Pre-trial detention and its over-use: Evidence from ten countries. Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research, London.

Heard, Catherine (2019) Towards a health-informed approach to penal reform? Evidence from ten countries. Institute for Criminal Policy Research, London

Walmsley, Roy (2018) World Prison Population List (12th edition). Institute for Criminal Policy Research, London.