Pact partners with Sony Music UK to keep families and prisoners in touch

A major new project across three prisons in the East Midlands will support hundreds of prisoners’ families to stay in touch with their loved ones inside.  

The project, funded through a corporate donation from Sony Music UK’s Social Justice Fund, will bring prisoners’ families together with senior prison staff in special Family Forums in HMPs Ranby, Gartree and Leicester. The forums will allow family members to share their views with the prison and support efforts to make visits easier for families and children. 

Government figures show that people who maintain contact with family and loved-ones are 39% less likely to reoffend on release. Strong family relationships often hold the key to successful resettlement after a prison sentence, smoothing the difficult transition and supporting people to get a home and a job.  

The project will link up with organisations in the community such as schools, social services and court teams to bridge the gap between Families and Service providers. The project will aim to give external organisations a clearer picture of the effect of imprisonment on children and young people. 

Lesley Ward, Head of Services for the North and East Midlands at Pact said:

"The imprisonment of a loved-one can have a devastating impact on family members and children. Not only can they lose household income, they can also suffer with social stigma which can be particularly hard for children affected. We are extremely grateful to Sony Music UK for the funding for this important project that will support efforts to keep families together, deliver safer prisons and reduce reoffending."

Charlotte Edgeworth, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Social Impact of Sony Music UK said:

"We’re delighted to be supporting the expansion of Pact’s Families’ Forums programme to three new prisons in the Midlands. Criminal justice reform and rehabilitation is a core pillar of the Social Justice Fund and we’re pleased to be working with Pact in this space to help make positive changes for those affected by the criminal justice system in the UK."