In this guest blog, Andy Keen-Downs, CEO of Pact, highlights the crucial role that family and carers play in supporting people in prison who are suffering from poor mental or physical health. Involving them more proactively in prison healthcare would help to deliver safer prisons, reduce reoffending and save taxpayers’ money.

The Ministry of Justice has announced a national strategy for older people in prison. Chief Officer of RECOOP, Paul Grainge, discusses the ageing prison population and the years of advocacy that led to this announcement.

Liz Ropschitz, Recoop’s Buddy Training Manager explains how prison Buddies have stepped up during the Covid-19 pandemic – working closely with health care and wing officers to support the most vulnerable prisoners.

An outline of our policy priorities and key areas of work, what we’ve been doing to influence national policy, as well as what we know is on the horizon.