Howard League for Penal Reform

12/10/2026

Erlestoke, an overcrowded prison in Wiltshire, is crying out for more staff – the number of officers is about one-third below target.

So why is it taking up to 10 months for new staff to be vetted?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd3r4anoFNA/

12/10/2026

The prison population in England and Wales is on the rise again.

Today, there are 87,033 people in prison – 254 more than this time last week.

The prison estate should not hold more than 81,361 people, the population currently exceeds this level by 5,672.
https://howardleague.org/prison-watch/

09/10/2026

❗ Job alert! ❗

We are on the hunt for a lawyer to join our legal team.

The selected candidate will help us advocate for more safety, dignity and equality in prisons, and work on our award-winning advice line for children and young people in prison.

Find out more and apply here: https://howardleague.org/about-us/vacancies/lawyer/

08/10/2026

On 13 October, a second tranche of prisoners will be released.

Watch this video to find out more about the changes introduced under the Sentencing Act 2026: https://howardleague.org/blog/early-release-and-the-progression-model-what-recent-changes-to-the-sentencing-act-now-mean/

07/10/2026

Don't miss tomorrow's SPOTLIGHTS event!

After a tumultuous summer shaped by change in Downing Street, uncertainty over sentencing changes and a deepening overcrowding crisis, what does the prison system look like today?

This will be the focus of our 17th event in the Howard League Spotlights series. RSVP here: https://howardleague.org/events/spotlights-prisons-under-pressure/

06/10/2026

Feeling unsafe and uncared for, children in prison are spending hours on end locked inside their cells. How will this help them to turn their lives around?

Watch our video to find out more.

05/10/2026

The prison population in England and Wales has fallen for the first time since the end of June, as changes introduced under the Sentencing Act 2026 begin to take effect.

Today, there are 86,779 people in prison – 720 fewer than this time last week.

Find out more: https://ow.ly/IRLY50ZUpv9

02/10/2026

Asked to comment on government plans to reform parenting orders, our Director of Campaigns, Andrew Neilson told the BBC :“Criminalising parents is unlikely to help children who need support, and putting them behind bars would only put further strain on a failing prison system that is already bursting at the seams.”

Read more here:

A Government minister has threatened to jail the parents of young offenders, in a drive to ensure stronger discipline in family homes. Jake Richards, the Youth Justice Minister, told The Times that…

02/10/2026

"Police have launched a criminal investigation into the management of a scandal-hit prison after five men died in nine months."

A report by Amy-Clare Martin for the Independent:

Exclusive: Nottinghamshire Police are investigating after a coroner raised concerns about a string of suicides at HMP Lowdham Grange

02/10/2026

"More than half of people prosecuted under Joint Enterprise are under 25."

That almost one in five defendants were children under the age of 18 is extremely concerning, especially given the lengthy prison sentences that can be handed down in cases of homicide.

The majority of people charged with homicide under the doctrine of Joint Enterprise, which allows people to be convicted over crimes committed by their associates, are under the age of 25. The find…