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

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

World Prison Brief

Completed projects include:

Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in ten countries

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

Restorative Prisons

Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

Language Barriers in the Criminal Justice System

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

Publications

Catherine Heard (2025) Working prisoners in Brazil: Laws, policies and practical realities. London: ICPR

Ben Jarman and Helen Fair (2024) Working prisoners in the USA: laws, policies, and practical realities. London: ICPR

Ben Jarman and Helen Fair (2024) Working prisoners in the UK: laws, policies and practical realities. London: ICPR

Rob Allen and Helen Fair (2024) Prison Data Collection: A Guidance Note. London: ICPR

Ben Jarman and Catherine Heard (2024) Prison work in law and reality: comparative perspectives from Brazil, the UK and the US. European Labour Law Journal , ISSN 2399-5556.

Helen Fair and Roy Walmsley (2024) World Prison Population List (14th edition) London: ICPR