What is dialogue?

In prisons, the traditional communication patterns are all too often damaging to the institution and to all the individuals within it. The environment is fundamentally adversarial and fragmentation occurs with the splitting-off of different groups - prisoners, officers, management, psychologists, etc.

Dialogue is a form of authentic and candid conversation that builds healthy relationships, re-integrating what is perceived as fragmented. The objective is to provide a safe space which offers an open forum for people to enquire into what matters to them, with the responsibility to take others seriously even when they do not agree with them. Thus through experiment with those involved, alternatives are developed influencing individuals and, through them, the establishment as a whole.

Our Vision

On formation, we declared that the principal activity of Prison Dialogue is to encourage and support a dialogic basis for relationships amongst people living and working in prisons, and amongst ex-offenders and victims of crime and the general public, for the integration and humanising of our society.

As a result of our experience over the last seven years the charity has formulated a new vision and strategy for the next phase of its work for the coming seven years. Prison Dialogue proposes to establish a formal partnership venture with a whole prison - engaging with people from every level: senior managers; prison officers; non-uniformed staff; prisoners on main location and even those in segregation.

Prison Dialogue aims to provide the skills, processes and personnel to significantly change the culture in the prison. We will ensure that the management, communication, decision-making and the myriad of human interactions that occur daily throughout the establishment are undertaken effectively and responsibly, and borne out of respect and dignity.

Over the past seven years the charity has been gathering the wherewithal to achieve this unique vision. The years of convening and facilitating dialogue groups in dispersal and local prisons involving management, staff and prisoners; the consulting work to the Director and Senior Management of the Department of Corrections in Nebraska; the officer development work within dispersal prisons; and the Partnership Ventures with Probation for recently released offenders are part of the experience we will be drawing on.