Building Futures
Building Futures is our project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund to explore the experiences of people who will spend 10 or more years in custody.
About the project
Building Futures focuses on how long sentences impact prisoners, their families and wider communities. Working collaboratively with prisoners, prison staff and others, the programme aims to provide solutions and shape a prison environment that is safe, humane, encourages accountability and fosters hope. It places a strong emphasis on promoting prisoner leadership and self-advocacy and the creation of inter-prisoner support networks.
What's the issue
In the last twenty years, the prison population has changed hugely.
- Sentences for more serious crimes have become longer.
- At least 11% of the prison population is now serving some type of indeterminate sentence.
- Far more people will now spend 10 or more years in prison.
- The average tariff length for murder has increased from 13 years in 2000 to 20 years in 2020.
- Meeting the challenges of this change will shape the prison landscape for the foreseeable future.
Latest news & updates: Building Futures
View all news and updates
Indeterminate sentences for 18-20-year-olds nearly double in a decade
Report reveals urgent need for age-appropriate support for young adults serving long sentences
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New report reveals why hope and meaning are vital for people serving long sentences
Report calls for reforms to help long-term prisoners maintain hope and purpose during their sentence
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New reports reveal the hidden toll of long-term prison sentences on families
The reports highlight the emotional and financial strain on families of long-term prisoners
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Building Futures showcase: voices of leadership and hope from inside
Celebrating lived experience and reform of long-term imprisonment at the University of Manchester
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A deficit in trust and lengthy delays in sentence progression are leaving long-term prisoners in Scotland without hope
Report reveals delays, poor communication, and lack of transparency in Scottish prison progression
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New report highlights significant barriers to reintegration faced by long-term prisoners on release
Enhanced support and policy reform is needed to assist long sentenced prisoners on release
Building Futures publications
View all- May 2026 Understanding and improving the Category A review process This report presents the findings of a peer-led review by the Building Futures Network Group at HMP ... Understanding and improving the Category A review process
- April 2026 Being Young Inside: young adult transitions across the long-term prison sentence Being Young Inside explores what it means to receive and serve a long prison sentence at the point o... Being Young Inside: young adult transitions across the long-term prison sentence
- February 2026 What makes a progressive regime? Experiences of progressive regimes and opportunities for improvement This report by the Building Futures Working Group at HMP Warren Hill presents findings from surveys ... What makes a progressive regime? Experiences of progressive regimes and opportunities for improvement
- December 2025 A Measure of Hope? How purpose, meaning and fulfilment can ease the harms of long-term imprisonment This report by Kimmett Edgar, Claudia Vince and Rachel O’Brien draws on the voices of 123 peop... A Measure of Hope? How purpose, meaning and fulfilment can ease the harms of long-term imprisonment
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
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To make a positive difference to the lives of very long-sentenced prisoners, their families and the wider community.
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Long-term prisoners will set the priorities. It is crucial that the programme is built by people it represents. So we will:
- Facilitate listening forums.
- Create inter-prisoner support networks.
- Promote prisoner leadership.
- Bridge the gap between the people who make policy and the people affected by it.
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Working with our Prisoner Policy Network, we are putting together a network of prisoners serving long sentences who will be involved in consultations, research and advocacy work.
Our network members will be key contributors to the project. If you are serving 10+ years and would like to be part of our Building Futures Network then please get in touch.
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Write
Building Futures c/o
Prison Reform Trust FREEPOST ND 6125
London EC1B 1PNEmail
If you have access to email a prisoner, you can contact us at
