Family member in prison?

Family Voices

Action for Prisoners' Families' Family Voices project, funded by Lloyds TSB for England and Wales has set up a Family Members Advisory Group to enable families to speak for themselves, to get training to let them better influence policy, and to advise APF on issues affecting the families of those in prison, as well as the barriers to addressing those issues.  You can join in discussions coming out of this project in our Special Interest Group.  Join usfor free to participate.  Get in touch if you would like to find out more.

Getting your voice heard

• Talk to other family members, practitioners and policy makers on our forum and special interest groups. Join Action for Prisoners' Families to take part now. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter 
• If you have a story to tell we would be happy to advise you on whether we can publish in our Action News magazine, and suggest what other avenues might be open to you.  We are alway looking for first-hand experiences we can use in our campaigning and lobbying. Please get in touch.
•  
• The media often approach us to see if we have family members who would like to speak to them.  If you would be interested in being a media representative either in the printed media or on radio, tv or digital media e-mail us with your details.  You can download guidance on dealing with the media below.

What else can you do? 

• There are various websites which divide into two kinds - supportive communities and campaigning. 
• Action for Prisoners' Families members PrisonChat UK run an online community giving support to those who have a loved one in prison.
•  
• You can also post on the Prisoners' Families' Voices Blogspot.
•  
• If you want to campaign and lobby on broader criminal justice issues have a look at the Howard League and Prison Reform Trust websites.  
•  
• If there is something in the news you want to comment on from the perspective of a prisoner's family, the BBC has a 'have your say' area and all newspapers have facilities for you to comment on line.  
•  
• User Voice engages with those who have experience of the criminal justice system in bringing about reform and reducing offending.  It is led by ex-offenders.  
•  
• You could write to either your MP or the MP in the constituency where your family member is in prison if you are concerned about a particular issue.  Find out about MPs.
•  
• If you are interested in finding out about current consultations and want to know how to go about it yourself  get in touch.  Find out about current consultations.