Though the research is being undertaken at the University of Cambridge, it is funded by a collaborative partnership between the Economic and Social Research Council and Quakers in Britain. The ESRC is the UK’s largest funder of research on economic and social issues. It supports independent, high-quality research with the potential for impact on business, the public sector and civil society. It is particularly keen to promote partnerships and research collaborations between postgraduate students and non-academic organisations, and this research is funded with this in mind. Quakers have a long history of interest in imprisonment, dating back to the persecution of the early Friends in the 17th century, during which many Quakers languished in jail. Although the focus of Quaker work in prisons has developed over time, it has always been rooted in the Quaker testimonies, particularly in their insistence that people who have committed offences are more likely to respond positively if treated with compassion and respect than with force and coercion. Quakers work with prisoners, individually and corporately, in a number of roles. Quaker funding for this project comes through Quakers in Britain’s Adult Education grants programme. The grant was awarded both to support the researcher in his professional training, and to stimulate knowledge exchange with Quakers and others working in and around long-term prisons. To this end, a number of knowledge exchange activities have been planned, which will be reported on via the project blog.