This workshop will explore key global developments impacting the well-being of people who live and work in prison settings, drawing on *Global Prison Trends 2025*, published by Penal Reform International and the Thailand Institute of Justice.
With the global prison population reaching an all-time high of 11.5 million, overcrowding, deteriorating conditions, and staff shortages are placing immense pressure on prison systems. At least 120 prison systems are operating beyond capacity - some at over 300% - with serious consequences for physical and mental health, safety, and dignity. Drawing on global data and PRI’s global programmes, the session will examine how prisons are responding to these pressures, including efforts to meet basic health needs, address violence, and support staff well-being in increasingly challenging environments.
The workshop will also highlight the right to vote as a dimension of well-being and dignity in prison. Despite progress in some jurisdictions, millions remain disenfranchised. Participants will discuss how enabling civic participation can promote inclusion, agency, and a rehabilitative culture.
Finally, the session will consider the growing trend of environmental sustainability in prisons. From green infrastructure to vocational training, “green prison” initiatives are emerging as a potential lever to improve well-being and living standards - when implemented meaningfully.
Through data, case studies, and discussion, the workshop invites shared learning on how detention systems are adapting under pressure - and what practical steps can be taken to protect and promote well-being for both prison staff and those under their supervision.
Moderated by Nadya Radkovska, Board Member, ICPA, Bulgaria
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Olivia Rope
Executive Director, Penal Reform International, Netherlands
Olivia Rope was appointed as Executive Director of Penal Reform International in 2020, having joined the organisation in 2012 and previously leading on policy and international advocacy. She is an expert on a range of human rights and criminal justice issues, having authored key publications and training materials for PRI and worked extensively with UN and other institutional actors and partners. Previously, Olivia worked at Amnesty International. She completed her LLM in International and European Human Rights Law at the University of Amsterdam in 2008 and was admitted to the High Court of New Zealand as a Barrister and Solicitor in 2009.
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Jérôme Mangelinckx
Global Policy Manager, Penal Reform International, Georgia
Jérôme is Global Policy Manager at PRI. He draws on extensive experience in drug policy reform, penal and penitentiary reform, and human rights, having played a key role as a co-founder of the Research Centre on Drugs and Human Rights (CIDDH), a Peruvian NGO dedicated to safeguarding the human rights of those most vulnerable to the impacts of the war on drugs in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among other responsibilities, he coordinated CIDDH’s Legal Clinic and developed a training guide for public defenders to improve legal aid to women imprisoned for drug offences in Peru. Jérôme holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Catholic University of Murcia in Spain, and a Graduate Certificate in Community Health and HIV from the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO).
