PerrieLectures

Veronique is now focusing on her research into smaller detention units and the idea of “Detention houses in the community as part of the community”

Veronique shared with the audience the UN’s 2O24 Resolution 57/9 which focuses on the social reintegration of persons released from detention or subjected to non-custodial measures and states a standard for detention units should be smaller the first such standard to be advised

Veronique’s personal history and experience of trauma, justice and life after an event that led to her father’s imprisonment has informed her interest in criminal justice and her career in this field.

Next up is Veronique Aicha who’s Head of Social Impact at RESCALED who has traveled from Amsterdam especially to join us at the lectures today. Her lectures starts by acknowledging the political is personal and the personal is political and shared her personal history around this

But this is often far outweighed by the poor living conditions that are evidenced in many HMIP reports

Dominique Moran’s research revealed often people living in prison did have some affection for the Victorian prisons due to comfort found in shared experiences; “The knowledge that others have survived in this prison is meaningful”

Victorian prisons are based on the architectural model for prisons favoured in 1830 “separation and segregation physically and morally” #futureofprisons

Dominique Moran’s lecture is focusing on her research into the experience of living and working conditions in Victorian prisons and the question she is poses in that research “are they fit for purpose?” #futureofprisons

Next speaker after the break is the amazing Dominique Moran who is carceral geographer and has an interesting perspective to share on the prison estate

5min break! Please, if you don’t need the loo, use this time to appreciate Kam’s amazing suit at this juncture…

Alice Dawney stated how perhaps the old adage “where there is a will there is a way” should be turned in its head “where there is a way there is a will” - ie that the public need to be shown the possible solutions and we should have the courage to show the public our ideas.

Wider public’s concern is often rooted in concern for victims and quite often a belief that prisons should be a place of punishment - but delving deeper into these people’s beliefs they often have empathy and believe in rehabilitation, they are just unaware of different pathways.

Next speaker is Alice Dawney, social entrepreneur & advocate of human centred systems. Alice starts her lecture by asking the rhetorical question “when we talk about criminal justice reform who are we talking to?” because she believes, quite often, we’re just talking to ourselves

Lord Timpson replied that the death was utterly tragic but he couldn’t comment on specifics of the case as didn’t know it well enough, but that prisoner as well as staff safety is one of his main priorities.

Question to Lord Timpson from Inside Time about integrated regimes for people convicted of sexual offences and how this resulted in a prisoner being killed due to being a ‘sex offender’ which led to prison changing its intervention policy and re-segregating.

Lord Timpson responded to this question with his concern that whilst prisons are so overcrowded it is very hard to deliver anything other than initially trying to ensure a safe regime.

First question for Lord Timpson from A Band of Brothers about whether employment should be the main focus when so many people in prison need their wellbeing valued and improved first before even thinking about employment.