Second Human Rights lecture focusses on prisons

Dame Anne, who now heads the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), spoke of the importance of human rights in closed communities such as prisons and the experiences of her inspectors in ensuring prisoners are kept safe, treated with respect, given purposeful activities and prepared for their return to the community.

An audience of 100 people, including many guests from outside the University, then questioned her further on her opinions of current justice and penal policies. “Human rights are important in prisons and we constantly need to look at how to implement them. Our work is not just about ending abuses, we must define the purpose of imprisonment,” she said.

The Southampton group of Amnesty International is in its 50th year. Members discuss campaign themes, sign letters of protest at inhumane treatment and plan events. A collection for the charity at the end of the lecture raised £135.