Charlie Taylor, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons

Prior to the pandemic, prisons were described by the House of Commons Justice Committee as being in an “enduring crisis” with high levels of violence and self-harm, limited opportunities for education and work, and poor re-offending outcomes. When the pandemic hit, most prisoners were confined to their cells for 23 hours a day. As prisons emerge from this very challenging period, the government has announced an ambitious plan of prison building and reform.

No one is better placed to know the problems facing prisons or assess the reform plans than Charlie Taylor, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales. He has established a reputation for his hard-hitting reports and his drive to improve leadership and performance in the prison system. His extensive remit also gives him unique insight into other places of detention such as youth custody and immigration detention.

The Magna Carta Lecture series covers themes of rights and liberties, of granting of fair justice and of the freedom of the individual under the law.

This year’s Magna Carta Lecture will be held in support of the work of the Royal Holloway Legal Advice Centre, which provides current Law students with hands-on work experience providing free legal advice to our local community, under the supervision of practising solicitors.

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