Race to the top: A PPN report on race and ethnicity in prisons

By Paula Harriott, Soruche Saajedi, Femi Laryea-Adekimi, Marc Conway, Daniel Francis,  Lucy Wainwright

While race and ethnicity have long been a feature within criminal justice debate, the Black Lives Matter protests and the reaction that followed, sharpened the focus on dignity, fairness, respect and decency for those from ethnic minorities living (and working) in the criminal justice system. Prisoner Policy Network members have often raised the issue of race and ethnicity in discussion groups and correspondences. Their interest in the subject – and concerns they have expressed in responses to previous consultations – led us to engage the Prisoner Policy Network (PPN) more fully and methodically in the conversation. In this national consultation, we sought to capture the perspectives of current serving prisoners and former prisoners and their families on race and ethnicity, to understand how their own ethnicity had impacted on their time in prison, and to explore any further views on racial equality or discrimination in the system. We also discussed the topic with a small number of prison staff. Our intention with this report was to seek to influence Ministry of Justice and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service policy teams working on Diversity and Inclusion planning, with a specific focus on race and ethnicity and to stimulate positive action in responding to this consultation report. 

London: Prison Reform Trust, 2024. 31p.