Prisons
Prison performs U-turn on banning handwritten cards for inmates after public outcry
![Prison](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/HMP-The-Mount-Google.png?w=768)
Prison performs U-turn on banning handwritten cards for inmates after public outcry
Homelessness is holding back prison leavers when they get a second chance
![prison leavers](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-6065080.jpg?w=768)
Homelessness is holding back prison leavers when they get a second chance
Women are asking to stay in prison beyond their sentence because they don't have a home to go to
![prison](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/niu-niu-5HzOtV-FSlw-unsplash.jpg?w=768)
Women are asking to stay in prison beyond their sentence because they don't have a home to go to
Stephen Fry to feature in play telling lockdown stories of prisoners and homeless people
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Paperchains.jpg?w=768)
Stephen Fry to feature in play telling lockdown stories of prisoners and homeless people
Screw creator Rob Williams: 'We don't always look at prisoners as individuals'
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/1494_arts_1-e1642693372923.jpg?w=768)
Screw creator Rob Williams: 'We don't always look at prisoners as individuals'
Why is the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on a hunger strike?
![nazanin zaghari-ratcliffe husband, richard](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/51656540877_34fb4d980d_k.jpg?w=768)
Why is the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on a hunger strike?
Prisoners turn critics to review TV shows and films during Penned Up Festival
![Small Axe was reviewed during Penned Up](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20981991-high_res-small-axe-bbc.jpg?w=768)
Prisoners turn critics to review TV shows and films during Penned Up Festival
Prisoners pick the books to get you through lockdown
![books are good for prisoners' wellbeing](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Our-Escape-by-Felipe-Morin-is-licensed-under-CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0.jpg?w=768)
Prisoners pick the books to get you through lockdown
Transforming prison food: Traditional Bangladeshi chicken curry recipe
![chicken curry recipe](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1454_Food_lockedupinlockdown_main-784x1024-1.jpeg?w=768)
Transforming prison food: Traditional Bangladeshi chicken curry recipe
Books behind bars: Not even Covid can stop the prison librarian
![illustration - books behind bars: reading in prison](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1454_Books_Reading-in-Prison_hero.jpg?w=768)
Books behind bars: Not even Covid can stop the prison librarian
Illiteracy is high in prisons. Learning to read can reduce reoffending
![Tackling illiteracy in prison - man teaching another man to read](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1454_Books_learning-to-read-in-prison.jpg?w=768)
Illiteracy is high in prisons. Learning to read can reduce reoffending
The music label helping prisoners dream beyond their cell walls
![InHouse Records. Aux. Volume 9, Issue 3. January 2020. Image credit: InHouse Records](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/prison-label-.png?w=768)
The music label helping prisoners dream beyond their cell walls
My children didn't understand why mummy was in prison
![Teddy Love, HM Prison & Young Offender Institution New Hall, mixed media from Koestler Arts’ My Path exhibition](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/mental-health-2.png?w=768)
My children didn't understand why mummy was in prison
There is a mental health crisis in our prisons. Lockdown is making it worse
![This Is How It Feels, Clifton House Secure Hospital, part of Koestler Arts' My Path exhibition](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/mental-health-crisis.png?w=768)
There is a mental health crisis in our prisons. Lockdown is making it worse
Anonymous prisoner: 'You go to prison as punishment, not for punishment'
![Prison is no picnic - but for some rough sleepers, it at least provides a 'safe' place to stay. Image credit: Piqsels](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/prison.png?w=768)
Anonymous prisoner: 'You go to prison as punishment, not for punishment'
Lockdown in lockdown: I watched the country close while in prison
![Several States of Mind, artwork by a prisoner at HMP Dartmoor and part of Koestler Arts' No Lockdown in the Imagination exhibition](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/prison-1.png?w=768)
Lockdown in lockdown: I watched the country close while in prison
You don’t have to be a bleeding heart to see our prison system isn't working
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/4006081733_ac41b63562_o.jpg?w=768)
You don’t have to be a bleeding heart to see our prison system isn't working
Why The Big Issue has put together a prison special
![paperchains](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pexels-caroline-martins-4317391.jpg?w=648)