The problem
Every year, hundreds of people die in prisons in England and Wales, the majority die by medical neglect or self-inflicted means.
The criminal justice system disproportionately imprisons people from marginalised communities, including people affected by mental ill health, drug and alcohol use, poverty and racism.
Inquests and investigations into deaths in prison regularly show how prisons segregate people, neglect their mental and physical health, dehumanise them and expose people to force and restraint.
Accountability for these deaths remains minimal, prisons remain legally protected due to Crown Immunity, and the government continues to expand and invest in prisons despite decades of evidence that prisons exacerbate harm.
Our work
We document the neglect and systemic failures that lead to deaths in prison, support bereaved families seeking truth and answers, and campaign for an end to deaths in prison.
Our demands
Today
- Prisons act on recommendations from inquests to prevent further deaths.
- The government lifts Crown Immunity from prisons so that they can be held criminally accountable.
- The government to halt all prison building and expansion and commit to a reduction in the prison population.
Tomorrow
- The government dismantle prisons and end to the use of imprisonment as a response to social issues, harm and distress.
- The government reinvests in community-based services such as welfare, housing, specialist drug and alcohol services, and education that address the root causes of social issues.
