Prisons Sunday – 11 October

Prisons’ Sunday, on the 2^nd Sunday in October, begins a week of prayer for all those affected by prisons and will be on 11 October in 2020. Each year, the Diocesan Criminal Justice Affairs Group (CJAG) leads a service in the Cathedral – this year, it will focus on the impact of Covid-19 on the criminal justice system.

Charmian Manship, from the CJAG said: “There are very real concerns that human rights have been ignored in prisons during the pandemic. There is a huge backlog of court hearings with raised anxiety of victims, witnesses and defendants; prison visits have been suspended affecting family relationships and prisoners are only let out of their cells for an hour a day with all education, social contact and gym facilities withdrawn. Most contact between probation and those on supervision has been by phone; and there is little mental health support.”

The diocesan Criminal Justice Affairs Group aims to offer a Christian perspective and advises the Diocese on criminal justice matters. Members have experience of working within the criminal justice system, crown prosecution service, police, prisons, probation, youth justice, the parole board and defence lawyers as well as the Church.

Find out more about the Criminal Justice Affairs Group.