Ask the Expert: Pia Sinha on prison reform

UK prisons are under intense scrutiny, with overcrowding recently reaching dangerous levels and worsening existing problems like poor resourcing, understaffing, and inadequate services. As a result, prisons have been placed on the new Labour government’s ‘disaster list’, signalling an urgent need for change.

In response, the government, led by the new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, has committed to new measures to avert a full-blown crisis. However, the worrying state of UK prisons extends beyond capacity challenges, revealing deeper systemic issues that have long troubled the system.

In light of these difficulties, experts are calling for penal reform and placing a stronger focus on resocialisation. Among these advocates is Pia Sinha, Chief Executive Officer of the Prison Reform Trust and former prison governor. In conversation with the SMF, Sinha shares her insights on the critical issues facing prisons and offers her ideas for a more effective and humane system.

What are the key challenges facing UK prisons today?

Sinha begins by addressing the urgent issue of overcrowding in prisons, a crisis driven by demand almost outstripping available places and exacerbated by outdated infrastructure that is literally crumbling. Just weeks into power, the government has introduced emergency measures, including early release for some prisoners and plans to build new facilities, to prevent the system from running out of cells.

A fundamental public safety concern, the prison crisis has garnered considerable media attention in recent weeks. Sinha points out that overcrowding is not a recent development, but an enduring crisis that has “reached its terrible crescendo”. She notes that this issue has been escalating for years, with charities raising alarms that politicians have largely ignored. It is now front and centre in the headlines.

“The big headline is the overcrowding crisis. Prisons are now prominent in the headlines, and it has come about due to something negative. That’s how prisons get reported.”

A contributing yet underreported problem is the lack of autonomy among prison leaders. Sinha, who has served in senior roles within the Prison Service, including Governor at Thorn Cross, Risley, and Liverpool, and as Director of Women where she oversaw all 12 women’s prisons in England, has first-hand experience with this challenge.

She explains that governors have little control over their budgets or recruitment, severely restricting their flexibility. This makes it difficult to transfer saved funds or innovate services, leaving “awful” bureaucratic processes as the only means to address prison issues. Previous SMF research supports this view, highlighting that autonomy is key to public sector success, while bureaucracy stifles effective management. Sinha believes the “culture of trust” and centralisation in prison services must be re-evaluated.

“The culture of trust has to be looked at. I understand that some things need to be centralised, but we’ve gone too far. Governors are in straightjackets.”

Sinha’s remarks on the negative portrayal of prisons speak to a broader issue. While significant problems like overcrowding exist, there are also “pockets of creativity and good practice in prisons”. Specifically, she praises Bullingdon Prison for its committed efforts to provide purposeful activity for the transient remand inmates, even though it is not mandatory.

Considered unnewsworthy, positive initiatives like these are rarely discussed by the media. What is more, prisons do not often share their successful practices, Sinha observes. This results in a culture where progress is both stunted and understated, while challenges are constantly scrutinised.

“You find there are always some green shoots of hope, and that never gets talked about.”

What is the current approach to vulnerable prisoners, and how should they be treated?

Vulnerable populations require bespoke care while in prison, but Sinha points out that there is currently a one-size-fits-all approach for all groups – men, women, young people, those with addiction, and those with mental health struggles. Treating these diverse groups as a homogenous mass is ineffective, and Sinha advocates for specific units to address the myriad care issues in prison, such as dedicated units for mental health, women, and drug users.

When it comes to vulnerability in prisons, Sinha reports a more generalised problem: poverty. While prisoners do not participate in the economy or have access to mainstream employment, it seems intuitive that many will live below the poverty line. Due to bleak labour conditions, however, even those earning wages from jobs like cleaning, cooking, or gardening often find themselves in dire living situations.

Prisons are not supposed to be places of luxury, but inmates have basic needs that must be met, and prison wages are insufficient for essential items like food, hygiene products, and phone credit. Sinha notes that wages have remained unchanged since 2002, while canteen prices have continued to rise due to inflation. The minimum employed rate of pay for prisoners is £4 per week, although prisons can implement piecework schemes that are lower.

“Prisoners are getting poorer, unable to afford the small necessities – including being able to make contact with their family.”

Based on HM Inspectorate of Prisons findings, Inside Time recently reported that many items are now unaffordable, and that prices are “always” higher than in supermarkets. Canteen prices in prisons in England and Wales are determined in partnership with the contractor, DHL. Sinha believes the privatisation of prisons has led to “abysmal” procurement contracts, resulting in a monopoly on prison services and poor value.

Sinha says that the limited spending power of prisoners fuels a debt economy. Those unable to afford basic essentials borrow money from other, more dangerous inmates, which leads to increased criminality and reduced safety within prisons. This can trigger a cycle of violence, self-harm, and drug use. The problem is compounded by overcrowding, which limits job opportunities, and even those who are able to secure prison jobs earn meagre wages.

“From a policy point of view, tackling poverty is imperative. It’s having a huge impact on vulnerability and safety in prisons.”

What should an effective system for reintegrating prisoners look like?

“The starting point needs to be societal responsibility”, Sinha says. Poverty, for instance, creates the conditions that lead people to drift into crime. It is no coincidence that people from poorer backgrounds, with poor education, ill health, and have been failed in other areas of public life, end up in custody. “We need to look at how we rehabilitate the wider system”, Sinha adds.

Sinha points out that she is no abolitionist. Some people, especially those who pose a significant threat to the public, need to be imprisoned for a “proportionate and relevant” period. These individuals must use their time locked up to reflect on themselves and their actions. But some prisoners require more time and attention than others and they should be diverted to the treatment they need, whether that be psychological care, therapy, or addiction support. After release from prison, ex-offenders need “proper” release plans to help them reintegrate.

While this approach would help to reduce the prison population, research from the SMF indicates that the UK’s rehabilitation initiatives – such as education and training opportunities, purposeful activity, and health support – are insufficient, leading to poor post-release employment targets and high reoffending rates. Since a core purpose of prisons is to prevent future crimes by changing the behaviour of offenders, we argue that the UK seems to be falling short of this goal. As Sinha puts it, “if you strengthen your upstream and downstream services, and create less traffic in the middle, you’re more likely to have a system that works well.”

“My vision is that, if we want to divert people away from custody because of drug dependency, poverty, or mental health – the underlying reasons why crimes are committed – we must invest in meaningful treatment in and out of prison.”

Other countries can offer valuable insights into improving incarceration and rehabilitation. Sinha identifies the Netherlands as a prime example of a criminal justice system that effectively diverts people toward the help they need after committing an offence. She highlights multiple levers used by the Dutch, such as problem-solving courts for low-level crime and the absence of minimum sentencing, which allow for alternative support interventions.

SMF research has also highlighted the Netherlands as an example to learn from, showing that its humane prison culture and increased investment in rehabilitation have resulted in reduced reoffending, a smaller prison population, and fewer facilities. Similarly, Norway’s approach, hailed as one of the most effective globally, encourages fulfilling lives post-release, significantly decreasing recidivism. We argue, like Sinha, that the UK is lagging behind the standards of other nations.

What does prison reform mean to you, and what changes would you like to see?

‘Reform’ is a broad and multifaceted concept, particularly in the context of prisons. It can be applied to various aspects of criminal justice, whether that be improving prison conditions, expanding rehabilitation programmes, or reevaluating sentencing laws. Reform can be applied to a wide range of issues, each important to creating a more effective and humane prison system. This broad view of reform provides important context for understanding Sinha’s specific position, which may differ from other perspectives.

For Sinha, an expert with extensive experience across various prison issues, the point of departure must be rethinking how we approach and discuss justice. She argues that too often, the media, politicians, and the public equate justice with revenge. The Secret Barrister, a well-known barrister, blogger, and author, calls this a “regressive prison fetish”, where prisoners, regardless of their background or crime, are seen as deserving of harsh punitive treatment.

This is supported by a 2021 survey conducted by the Sentencing Academy and YouGov, which found that two-thirds of Britons (65%) believe sentences handed down by courts are not harsh enough. This figure rises to 76% when excluding ‘don’t know’ responses. Sinha argues that instead of focusing on harsher policies, we should be building a justice system grounded in principles of resocialisation, aiming to make prisoners more engaged with society after their release.

“The starting point for me is why we as a nation are obsessed with punishment. For me, ‘reform’ means shifting that narrative.”

Sinha advocates for more research to monitor and “shift the dial” on the narrative surrounding prisons. Current punitive attitudes, reinforced by politicians and the media, create a cycle of strict prison policies and draconian rhetoric. She would like to see “intelligent debate” on how to improve prisons and society, emphasising that research can help to break those barriers. That requires evidence, having healthy public debate, and reaching consensus on “what actually works”.

“Why are we reluctant to use the evidence to direct our decision making?”

Looking to the future, Sinha discussed the new Labour government’s potential to reshape the prison system. While acknowledging its policy regime may not differ significantly from the previous Conservative administration, she is encouraged by recent pledges, such as a commitment to a sentencing review and revision of the Mental Health Act.

Regarding the more pressing issue of prison overcrowding, Sinha supports the construction of new facilities – but only as replacements for old, dilapidated ones, not additions to the current infrastructure. She advises the government to consider evidence on effective prison models, and suggests that smaller, specialist units would improve outcomes.

“What kind of prisons do we want to build? It is all to play for.”