Prison Towns Workshop: 

A Transformative Vision for Criminal Justice Reform

Date: Friday, 13 June 2025

Time: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Location: City & Guilds, London

Join Sensefuture.org for a groundbreaking workshop to explore Prison Towns, a visionary alternative to the UK’s struggling Criminal Justice System (CJS). As the Labour government, under Keir Starmer and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, grapples with a prison system at 99% capacity, their recent initiatives—such as the £4.7 billion prison expansion announced on 14 May 2025, early release schemes, and a sentencing review—aim to alleviate overcrowding but fall short of addressing the system’s fundamental flaws. High reoffending rates, gang influence, substance abuse, and rising suicides highlight a model that prioritises punishment over rehabilitation, risking community safety through measures like early releases without robust reintegration support.

Prison Towns offer a bold, economically sustainable solution. In these secure, integrated communities, inmates live in varied accommodations—flats, houses, or self-built homes—based on earnings from jobs or businesses within a self-sufficient economy. Unlike the current CJS, which drains public funds, Prison Towns generate tax revenue, potentially creating a surplus. Inmates engage in local governance, vote in town elections, and access Wellbeing Centres for mental health, education, and spiritual growth, fostering rehabilitation and seamless reintegration into society. Advanced security, including AI surveillance and sensor bracelets, ensures safety while enabling a normalised life, reducing reoffending rates potentially below the 20% achieved by less innovative models.

By redirecting the billions earmarked for expanding a broken system, the Ministry of Justice could invest in Prison Towns, piloting a model that transforms justice into a process of growth and societal contribution.

What’s on the Agenda?

• Discover the Prison Towns framework: rehabilitation, self-sustaining economy, democratic governance, and cutting-edge security.

• Collaborate with experts to refine the concept and design pilot projects.

• Network with criminal justice professionals, local government officials, rehabilitation specialists, security tech innovators, economic analysts, community leaders, NGOs, urban planners, and those with lived experience.

Why Join Us?

Be at the forefront of reimagining criminal justice. Your insights will shape a humane, effective alternative that addresses the CJS crisis holistically, reducing recidivism, enhancing community safety, and setting a global standard for rehabilitation-focused justice.

Register Now

Spaces are limited! Secure your free spot below to join this pivotal discussion. For more on Prison Towns or inquiries, contact cjs@sensefuture.org.

Together, let’s build a future where justice empowers individuals and strengthens communities.