New Business

Reducing violence in London with Catch22

In October, we began our partnership with Catch22 and partners to support the delivery of the Prison Violence Reduction (PVR) Service across three London prisons: HMP Wandsworth, HMPYOI Feltham, and HMP Pentonville. The project, which is funded by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), is also supported by In-House Records and EY Outreach.

As part of our role within the partnership, we are identifying and training peer Ambassadors within each prison to provide violence reduction support on the wings from a peer-led perspective. Each Ambassador will receive accredited training in de-escalation and conflict management, along with specialised accredited training in delivering effective Information, Advice, and Guidance. This training will enable our peer Ambassadors to help foster a safer custody environment for everyone on the wings.

Our previous experience delivering our Kind Regards – Anger Management program within prison settings has demonstrated the positive impact of peer-led approaches in reducing violence for a number of years. The Kind Regards program will play an integral role in our delivery within this partnership, benefiting both learners and prison staff at each site. The education and skills that we provide to our learners will also benefit them as they reintegrate into the community. The positive impact achieved within custody, is expected to further support outcomes upon release, such as reduced offending, lower costs and pressures on public services, and improved relationships with family, friends, and local communities.

“We are delighted to support Catch22 and our partners in this violence reduction project. We truly believe that when inmates are engaged in constructive, meaningful activities, there is less tension and fewer incidents of conflict or aggression. Our trained peer Ambassadors will play a crucial role in fostering and reinforcing this positive environment, we know that prisons prioritising rehabilitation and programmes like this Prison Violence Reduction Service will generally experience lower levels of violence and better morale among both inmates and staff”
– Phil Reynolds, Regional Manager