Prisons should focus on turning prisoners into good citizens rather than just good prisoners. This involves reducing risks but also addressing needs and encouraging responsibility. Successfully reintegrated ex-prisoners are more caring, focused on others, and find purpose in promoting future generations rather than continued offending. Prisons should view prisoners as assets and consider what contributions they can make rather than just their needs. Treating prisoners as irresponsible puts the community at risk after their release. Prisoners being involved in active citizenship programs has increased greatly in the last 10-20 years.

1. Active Citizens
Whose prison is it anyway?

2. Prisons should not
be about turning
offenders into good
prisoners, but about
turning prisoners into
good citizens.

3. Reducing risk
Meeting needs

4. Reducing risk Addressing
needs
Encouraging
responsibility

5. I’ve always been
take, take, take but
I’ve never given
anything back ... It
will make me feel a
hundred times
better than I do
now ... if I can give
something back
instead of take.

6. It helps you for the outside world, if you are
given responsibility. They give you responsibility
in here. No one is giving up on you. Some of us,
no one has given them responsibility before.

7. Shadd Maruna
Successfully reintegrated
ex-prisoners are
significantly more care-
oriented, other-centred
and focused on
promoting the next
generation. . . . In short,
they find a reason to live
that is inconsistent with
continued offending.

8. Prisoners are huge assets. Don’t just look at their needs;
consider what they can do, what they can give.
(Prison Governor)

9. Treating prisoners as
irresponsible, or
allowing them to be
so, puts the
community at risk
when their sentence
ends.
Stephen Pryor

10. The involvement of prisoners in
active citizenship and the
system's willingness to embrace
that is unrecognizably greater
than it was 10 years ago, and on
a different planet to what it was
20 years ago, when active
citizenship rarely extended beyond
being a tea boy.
A Governor, 2010

11. But what about…
Bullying, drug running, conditioning

12. In other words…
do what the best prisons do best – manage risk, build relationships,
hold power lightly
What feels safest – a high police presence or low?

13. Ask prisoners what they’re good at; what they can
contribute.
Ask staff the same
Make a list, use it
Ask prisoners and staff for ideas about active
citizenship opportunities
Action for prison governors

14. Expand Restorative Justice: create mechanisms
through which people can make amends
Identify processes and services which block
personal responsibility and modify them to serve
the purpose of promoting it
Establish or strengthen prisoner representation so
that the schemes give prisoners the responsibility
to help solve problems as well as identifying them

15. Set the tone
But don’t just say it
Listen to prisoners.
Value their advice
Show some trust – ROTL a good safe place to start
Action for ministers