What we do

The Howard League is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities, fewer people in prison.

Transform prisons

As well as campaigning for fewer people in prison, we work to transform prisons for those who would remain behind bars.
Children and policing

We campaign to improve policing and reduce the criminalisation of children in England and Wales.
Our legal work

We have the only frontline national legal team specialising in the legal rights and entitlements of children and young people in custody.
Our success

Find out how we have secured positive change to make communities safer.

Click on a link above to learn more about why these issues matter and what we are doing in each area of work.

Prison population rise over time

Prison numbers have more than doubled since the 1990s. There is always much more to be done. We work with parliament and the media, with criminal justice professionals, academics and members of the public, influencing debate and forcing through meaningful change.

Features

About John Howard

John Howard is widely considered to be the first penal reformer. He lived in the eighteenth century and his life inspired admirers to establish the Howard League for Penal Reform in 1866.

1726

Born in Hackney, East London.

1742

Apprenticed to grocers and sugar merchants, near St Paul’s.

1757

Sets off for Lisbon, captured by privateers and imprisoned in France, released later that year.

1773

Appointed High Sheriff of Bedfordshire. Makes first tour of English prisons.

1774

Addresses committee of the House of Commons on state of prisons.

1777

Howard publishes The State of the Prisons.

1779

Penitentiary Houses Act. Howard appointed as one of three superintendents to choose sites and design and build new gaols.

1781

Resigns post and continues to tour foreign prisons.

1790

Falls ill from fever and dies in Kherson, Ukraine.

What we do

Transform prisons

Children and policing

Our legal work

Our success