Some 60 per cent of prisoners are functionally illiterate. An inability to read inevitably hinders the rehabilitation of thousands of prisoners, particularly when they leave prison and try to find a job.
SPCK, the famous organisation which has been communicating the Christian faith since 1698, recently launched a major prison fiction project to help tackle this severe problem. Backed by significant voluntary donations, the scheme has already distributed some 3,000 easy to read books in over 60 prisons. The government has expressed strong support for it.
Alistair Lexden is among the many individuals who have given donations to this valuable scheme. He drew it briefly to the attention of the Lords at the end of oral question time on February 22, pointing out that “ the vital work of prison officers is powerfully reinforced by voluntary initiatives such as that recently launched by the SPCK to raise literacy significantly among prisoners”.