About

The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) is an independent UK charity working to create a just, humane and effective penal system.

We were founded in 1981 to inform and influence public debate on prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners, amidst concerns about a projected prison population of 48,000 by 1984. The charity remains as important to civic society today as it was then.

We are one of the few organisations willing and equipped to hold the state to account for its treatment of vulnerable people in prison. Our reputation, built on over four decades of knowledgeable, reliable analysis and presentation of the facts, gives us influence behind the scenes that few organisations can match.

We do this by inquiring into the workings of the system; informing prisoners, staff and the wider public; and by influencing Parliament, government and officials towards reform.

Whilst often working alongside the prison service and maintaining close links with government departments including the Ministry of Justice, HM Treasury, and the Home Office, to retain its independence PRT does not seek or accept Government funding. The structure and rigour of programmes are agreed with those trusts and foundations that generously fund our work.