INTRODUCTION Introduction 2019 marks the third year of collaboration between Penal Reform International and the Thailand Institute of Justice to create Global Prison Trends. The spirit of this partnership lies in the acknowledgement that lasting, effective change cannot be achieved in isolation. In the past decade, while there have been numerous positive steps in criminal justice and prison reform – such as the adoption of the revised UN Nelson Mandela Rules and the UN Bangkok Rules – there are also many challenges that still need to be overcome. Only with this spirit of collaboration and multi-stakeholder engagement can we move towards a more humane criminal justice system. The fifth edition of Global Prison Trends is our joint effort to provide a platform to bring pressing issues related to crime prevention and criminal justice to the foreground. This year, Penal Reform International is also proud to celebrate its 30th anniversary. As we reflect back on the past 30 years, it is clear that there are certain groups of people in prison who are especially vulnerable and whose needs must be addressed. Designed, built and managed for men, our criminal justice systems continue to be mostly ill-equipped to respond to the needs of specific populations, such as The prison environment as a whole impacts the health of prisoners, and prison health is not limited to the provision of healthcare. As in previous In this edition’s Special Focus, we editions of Global Prison Trends, highlight the impact prison can have we look at the causes of prison on the physical and mental health of overcrowding – a factor that negatively prisoners. Goals 2, 3 and 6 of the impacts the health of all prisoners Sustainable Development Goals on – which include the unnecessary hunger, health, and water and sanitation use of pre-trial detention, ineffective are all related to the basic needs of criminalisation of drug users, and prisoners – which are not met in many disproportionate increases in the length prison systems around the world. of sentences, including a massive We believe that the primary purposes increase in life sentences since the of prison are rehabilitation and beginning of the century. reintegration. Rehabilitation is, however, only possible if prisons enable offenders Through Global Prison Trends 2019, we hope to show that society as a to rebuild their lives, by learning, whole is affected by the management developing and preparing to positively of criminal justice and prison systems. contribute to society. Prisoners often We aim to inform policymakers and civil have higher prevalence of physical society alike: turning our attention to and mental illnesses than the general building fair and effective criminal justice population, but healthcare in prison systems will help to strengthen respect is too often neglected across high, for human rights, which in turn will help medium and low-income countries. to solidify the rule of law and achieve As well as healthcare for prisoners, the Sustainable Development Goals. ensuring that care is given to the health of prison staff is also vital. Staff health has an impact on the attention given Florian Irminger Dr Kittipong Kittayarak to the health of prisoners. Healthy Executive Director Executive Director prison staff are obviously better Penal Reform Thailand Institute equipped to deal with the particularly of Justice stressful situations they encounter, such International as self-harm, violence against others in prisons and suicide. children, women, older people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex prisoners. Penal Reform International and Thailand Institute of Justice | Global Prison Trends 2019 |3