Leadership Behind Bars: A New Vision for Justice Reform Emerges from the Inside Out
People in prison can be leaders. A House of Commons event, inspired by Prisoner Leaders, brought together lived experience voices, MPs, and academics to call for justice reform rooted in respect, collaboration, and shared power over top-down leadership.
On Monday, 16 June, the House of Commons hosted a groundbreaking event titled 鈥淧risoner Leadership, Meaning, Value, and Role in Justice Reform,鈥� co-organised by (Senior Lecturer in , University of Manchester), , and . The panel brought together lived experience leaders, MPs, academics, and justice professionals to explore how leadership within prisons can reshape the future of justice in the UK.
Centred around the newly published book (Palgrave Macmillan), the event challenged traditional notions of leadership by highlighting the often-unrecognised influence of incarcerated individuals. These leaders, shaped by survival and solidarity rather than hierarchy, offer critical insights into reforming a prison system in crisis.
Guest speaker (former Professor, University of Manchester) underscored the importance of recognising lived experience as a legitimate and powerful form of knowledge. The event called for a shift from tokenistic inclusion to genuine collaboration across sectors鈥攂etween academics, policymakers, and those directly impacted by incarceration.
The organisers emphasised that real reform must be rooted in humility, shared leadership, and a commitment to justice that listens to those who have lived it.
The visit resulted in MPs and Justice Select Committee representatives asking that the presented Policy recommendations based on the book鈥檚 findings be translated into law, illustrating how research-led impact can emerge in decision-making spaces.