About the Commission on Sex in Prison
The Howard League for Penal Reform established an independent Commission on Sex in Prison. The Commission comprised eminent academics, former prison governors and health experts and focused on three broad themes:
- consensual sex in prison
- coercive sex in prison
- healthy sexual development among young people in prison
The Commission on Sex in Prison undertook the first ever review of sex inside prisons in England and Wales where it is unlawful to have sex because prison cells are deemed to be public places. There is currently little reliable evidence available on consensual or coercive sex in prisons. The Commission focused on adult prisons in 2013 and investigated the sexual development of adolescents in prison in 2014.
The purpose of the Commission on Sex in Prison was to understand the nature and scale of the issues and problems and to make recommendations with a view to making prisons safer.
The Commission on Sex in Prison:
- undertook primary research with former prisoners
- conducted visits to prisons in England and Wales and other jurisdictions
- heard evidence from a wide range of experts
- Organised seminars and public events to disseminate findings
- published 5 briefing papers on consensual sex, coercive sex and the sexual development of young people in prison
Read more about the achievements of the Commission on Sex in Prison.
