Radical Prison Reform: prison overpopulation, mental health and alternatives to incarceration

Topics to be discussed:

What is the impact of an increasing prison population and decreasing prison resources?
How can the Government tackle the mental health crisis in UK prisons?
Should the Government aim to cut down on prison sentences or use community sentences more often?

Speakers:

Richard Burgon, Shadow Justice Secretary

Richard Burgon is the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor. Before entering parliament, Richard served as a trade union lawyer for almost a decade. At the 2017 general election, he received the highest vote in almost 40 years in his constituency of Leeds East.

Emmanuel Sheppard, Barrister:

Emmanuel is a barrister practicing in commercial, public and international law. His prison related work includes advising on prisoner voting, a visit to Richmond Hill prison in Grenada, and work on the Lord Harris review into self inflicted deaths in prison.

Sarah Hyde, Prison Reform Specialist

Sara Hyde has spent a decade working in the criminal justice system, primarily with women, following a first career in theatre. She worked in HMP Holloway, with women post-release as a frontline mentor and group facilitator, then managed holistic support services. She currently leads on Deaths in Custody for an NHSE London Clinical Network for Health in Justice. She has just become a councillor, was a London Assembly candidate in 2016 and a Parliamentary candidate in last year’s General Election. Sara is the Vice Chair of Fabian Women’s Network. She was part of the inaugural Jo Cox Women in Leadership cohort.