About PD
Peter Garrett and Jane Ball
About Prison Dialogue
Prison Dialogue has been pioneering the use of dialogue in prisons since first starting a weekly staff/prisoner dialogue group in a high & maximum-security prison in England in 1993. In 1995 we registered as a not-for-profit charity, with a Board of Trustees and a Director, Peter Garrett, who remains in that post today. During the following two decades we have worked in a great variety of situations. We have undertaken an extensive development of theory, know-how, practice and transferrable skills to purposefully engage people and establish working dialogues in prisons and the community.
Our vision is to establish dialogue as a professional practice, and participatory research methodology - in order to transform the generally-fragmented criminal justice system into a coherent environment for the fulfillment of staff, the healing of offenders and the enhancement of public safety. This requires work at all levels, from executive strategic decision-making about systems of prisons and community corrections, to the local engagement of staff, offenders, agency workers and local citizens (separately and at times together) in communities around the world.
We are seeking to inspire, inform and motivate people to join us in this endeavour. Our website and case studies are offered as a resource for this purpose. Becoming an Associate is open to those who want to participate and would appreciate the support and challenge of like-minded colleagues.