This is a guest blog by David Kendall, the founder of "Penned Up" - a literary festival that takes place in prison. David started "Penned Up" because he felt people in prison were denied agency – art was done to them. The festival started in HMP Lewes in 2015, and has run programmes in Downview and Erlestoke with the latter becoming its base. The model is always a committee of prisoners working with the festival directors to put together a programme reflecting the interests and needs of its prison audience. 

The Families' Network was set up in 2023 to create a forum for voluntary organisations supporting families impacted by the criminal justice system. This blog tells the story of the Network so far and looks ahead to its future.

Jon Collins, Chief Executive of the Prisoners' Education Trust, has written this guest blog on how to make a success of the 'earned progression' model recommended in the Independent Sentencing Review.

The publication of this week's annual report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, lays bare the scale of the challenge currently facing our prison system. Prisons are overcrowded and understaffed, significantly curtailing rehabilitative activity and the provision of essential support.

A guest blog contribution from The Bell Foundation: The Law Centres Network recently submitted Freedom of Information Requests to 49 police forces across the UK and analysed the responses to understand how each force addresses the needs of victims of crime who have limited or no English language skills in practice.    

As part of our platforming of Clinks members during Small Charity Week 2025, Nicole Cowan Co-Artistic Director at INYBB writes for Clinks about their work using art as a creative health tool within the criminal justice sysyem.

As part of our platforming of Clinks members during Small Charity Week 2025, Fresh Start Future Enterprises shared this video with us as a case study on the impact of their work.

As part of our platforming of Clinks members during Small Charity Week 2025, Roger Blackman, Founder of The Reasons Why Foundation, writes for Clinks about their work in healing those who have served long sentences post-release.

As part of our platforming of Clinks members during Small Charity Week 2025, Kate Muller, Volunteers & Partnerships Coordinator at Trailblazers Mentoring, writes for Clinks about the impact of their crucial work in supporting people in contact with the criminal justice system to rebuild their lives.

As part of our platforming of Clinks members during Small Charity Week 2025, Mark Chamberlain, Communications and Policy Officer at Unlock, writes for Clinks about the impact of their work and their focus on ensuring that a past conviction does not become a lifelong barrier to rebuilding one’s life.