Forum on Prisoner Education
Encyclopedia
The Forum on Prisoner Education was a UK registered charity founded in 2000 to campaign
to improve prison education
in England
& Wales
. Its founding members included Professor David Wilson (Criminologist)
, and a manager of education at HMP Wandsworth in London
.
Funding from the Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust
was granted in 2003 and this enabled the appointment of a coordinator to build up the work of the Forum. This funding was extended and further funding was given by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation in 2004. Patrons of the Forum included Lord Woolf and Baroness Walmsley.
The Forum led campaigns on a range of issues, including pay for prison
ers and tutors working in prison education
. It published a number of briefing papers, reports and books, including a report calling for the internet
to be made available in prisons. The Forum was instrumental in the creation of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Learning & Skills in the Criminal Justice System, chaired by Baroness Veronica Linklater
. Its former Director, Steve Taylor, was awarded the Longford Prize in 2005 for his work in developing the Forum.
The charity closed in June 2006 due to financial difficulties. Some of the work of the charity has been continued by the Prisoners' Education Trust
.
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
to improve prison education
Prison education
Prison education, by Daryl Kuissi also known as Inmate Education and Correctional Education, is a very broad term that encompasses any number of educational activities occurring inside a prison. These educational activities include both vocational training and academic education...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
& Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Its founding members included Professor David Wilson (Criminologist)
David Wilson (Criminologist)
David Wilson is Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Birmingham City University.Wilson studied at the University of Glasgow , Selwyn College, Cambridge, and at the Cambridge Institute of Criminology, where he gained a PhD in 1983. He joined Her Majesty's Prison Service as a junior...
, and a manager of education at HMP Wandsworth in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Funding from the Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust
Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is a registered charity founded in England in 1961. It is one of the largest independent grantmaking foundations in England, making grants to organisations which aim to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK, both now and in the future.The...
was granted in 2003 and this enabled the appointment of a coordinator to build up the work of the Forum. This funding was extended and further funding was given by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation in 2004. Patrons of the Forum included Lord Woolf and Baroness Walmsley.
The Forum led campaigns on a range of issues, including pay for prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
ers and tutors working in prison education
Prison education
Prison education, by Daryl Kuissi also known as Inmate Education and Correctional Education, is a very broad term that encompasses any number of educational activities occurring inside a prison. These educational activities include both vocational training and academic education...
. It published a number of briefing papers, reports and books, including a report calling for the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
to be made available in prisons. The Forum was instrumental in the creation of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Learning & Skills in the Criminal Justice System, chaired by Baroness Veronica Linklater
Veronica Linklater
Veronica Linklater, Baroness Linklater of Butterstone , is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords. Her career indicates her interests in children’s welfare, education and special needs, and prison reform...
. Its former Director, Steve Taylor, was awarded the Longford Prize in 2005 for his work in developing the Forum.
The charity closed in June 2006 due to financial difficulties. Some of the work of the charity has been continued by the Prisoners' Education Trust
Prisoners' Education Trust
Prisoners Education Trust is a small national charity, which provides, supports, and argues the case for better learning and educational opportunities for prisoners. The Trust does this through a grants programme which assists over 2,000 prisoners each year to study distance learning courses in...
.