The Prison Reform Trust has published its Bromley Briefing today – an indispensable twice-yearly compilation of facts and figures on the criminal justice system in the UK.

Of particular interest to me and to anyone interested in life imprisonment is the section near the beginning dealing with life sentences in comparative and long-term perspective. This is based on a new book – also being launched today – by Dirk van Zyl Smit and Catherine Appleton of the University of Nottingham. I will probably write more about this in the future.

However, I just want this post to draw attention to the Briefing, and especially pages 6-9 which are an excellent introduction to the shape of indeterminate imprisonment in this country, and how it is that the UK, along with Turkey, holds two thirds of all the lifers in Europe.

You can read the press release here and the Briefing itself here.