Diversity and inclusion Back to top
Unlocked is working to build a fairer prison system. A diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to doing this.
We celebrate the diversity of our participants and the rich experience their varied backgrounds bring – both to Unlocked as an organisation and their vital frontline work in prisons. In a role that is heavily focused on building and managing relationships with complex and often vulnerable individuals, as well as being a key part of the social and political landscape, it is vital that the prison workforce aims to be representative of the people they work with. This relates to all aspects of diversity from age to race and sexual orientation.
#The challenge
The disproportionate representation of certain groups in the criminal justice system is a major issue – and a priority for Unlocked. People from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds are over-represented in the prison population (making up more than 25% of the adult male prison population and over 50% of young people) compared to just 14 percent in the general population.
The over-representation of people from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community is also significant. Around five percent of people in prison identify as Gypsy, Roma or Traveller, compared to an estimated 0.1 percent of the general population in England.
#Taking action
Against this backdrop of over-representation of minority groups among the prisoner population, it is particularly problematic that the prison officer workforce is largely white with just 10 percent of officers self-identifying as being from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background.
This representation discrepancy contributes to a lack of trust in the system and is a factor that inhibits many prisoners from ethnic minorities from engaging with purposeful activity and programmes aimed at rehabilitation and desistance from crime.
Unlocked aims to reverse this by recruiting exceptional candidates from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to the programme. The 2017 Lammy Review – into the treatment of, and outcomes for individuals from ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system – cited Unlocked as an example of best practice.
Many organisations recruit and develop high-quality, diverse candidates and there are good examples inside and out of the criminal justice system. The organisation ‘Unlocked Graduates’ encourages high-calibre graduates to take up positions in the prison workforce. In its first year, Unlocked made attracting a diverse cohort of applicants a special focus and 18.5% of their offers were to Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in 2016-17.
Lammy Review, 2017
#How are we doing?
Across our first four cohorts, Unlocked participants are:
- 30 percent male and 70 percent female
- 80 percent white and 20 percent Black, Asian or minority ethnic background
- 10 percent LBGT+ identifying
Our proportion of applicants and joiners from black and minority ethnic backgrounds is consistently around one in five.
#Coaching
Representation Matters is a coaching programme aimed at supporting applicants from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds throughout the application process. We offer online material to support you in your written application and provide a series of mock assessment centre workshops during November – March 2024.
Additionally, we provide virtual spaces to facilitate discussions around the importance of representation, and why it is important to Unlocked Graduates.
#Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in prisons
Graduates on the Unlocked programme have the opportunity to promote equity, diversity and inclusion within their prisons – with the full support of Unlocked behind them. Discover some of their stories below.
James
2018 Cohort, HMP Wandsworth
Unlocked participant James is active in the LGBT+ community – and passionate about promoting LGBT+ inclusion at HMP Wandsworth.
“As a frontline prison officer, you can have an impact both a local level and a systemic level. In my prison, I’m a member of the LGBTQ community and I got involved with an initiative where members of the community – or allies – would wear these little rainbow ribbons around their epaulettes to show visibility and support for the community. And as well as that, with the help of Unlocked – and it was only possible because of Unlocked – I did a policy paper with some friends on the scheme about how to tackle transphobia and homophobia in the prison service. And that will get seen by the prisons minister and could affect real systemic change.”
James is a part of an Unlocked LBGT+ network, which runs events and supports LGBT+ participants within the Unlocked programme.
Cheyane
2022 Cohort, Prison Officer at HMP Belmarsh
2022 Unlocked Participant Cheyane signed up to be a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Representative at Summer Institute. The role involved helping to provide a highly inclusive environment for all participants and staff, whilst being supported by the Unlocked Graduates Head of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Programme Director through regular meetings and forums.
Cheyane worked to plan her own social event for the end of her Summer Institute to provide a safe space for Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority participants to relax:
“The social was fairly simple to plan, and I had loads of support from one of the Unlocked Events Officers and from Unlocked staff in general. It was a lot of fun! I’ve planned socials before, and it felt like people in the cohort wanted a safe space to enjoy and just relax a bit. So, I thought that as a D&I representative (and just because of who I am) I would create this social, and I hope everyone really enjoyed it. Not to be biased but we have a great group of D&I Reps, and on a wider scale, an even greater cohort!”
Our D&I Representatives have done some exceptional work bringing positive and constructive evidence-based feedback to meetings and working with us on potential solutions. The group is running again this year for the 2023 Cohort.
Kat
Unlocked Ambassador, MPO for HMP Wormwood Scrubs and HMP/YOI Isis
Kat speaks openly about being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the impact this has on her work in prisons:
“The LGBTQIA+ community is overrepresented within the prison population, particularly amongst women, and it is likely that the statistics are under-representative of the actual figure. Statistically those within the community have higher rates of mental health issues.
I took the opportunity to work as an LGBTQIA+ Rep on my wing. This gave me the opportunity to work alongside staff and prisoners to raise awareness, hold deep and meaningful discussions around what it means to be an ally, a member of the community and had several prisoners disclose their sexuality to me.
I am proud that as an MPO I am continuing that work towards a more inclusive culture in our prisons. Ensuring the visibility of allies and that support is in place for these individuals is pivotal.
There is a huge LGBTQIA+ support network within HMMPS, ‘Pride in Prison & Probation (PiPP)’. This is a member-led support network that provides, one-to-one support, provides informative materials and toolkits, shares best practise, and supports in delivering awareness training.”
Sophie
2022 Cohort, HMP/YOI Downview
2022 Unlocked participant Sophie is using her experiences of ADHD to support the women in her care and empower those also with ADHD to learn coping strategies.
Sophie liaised with ADHD UK and constructed the course ‘ADHD & Me’, which they hope will act as a template for future courses in prisons nationwide. During ADHD Awareness Week, Sophie helped to run the course at her prison, which included a creative poster competition and an ADHD quiz to help identify individual needs.
“The poster competition was a massive success. I feel really strongly about having a creative outlet, whether through art, poetry, writing etc. as a form of escapism.”
The prisoners really appreciated learning about their disability and felt they gained a lot of knowledge to support them. Sophie’s ADHD & Me course retakes place in Autumn 2023 and is set to continue throughout the upcoming year.
She has also joined forces with Bird Creations, a creative arts project based in prisons, as a step forward to introduce more creative arts for ADHD prisoners in HMP Downview.