De Montfort University HMP Gartree, HMP Leicester

“This strengthening relationship is pushing the boundaries of both institutions, with the benefits being felt by students, prisoners and staff across both the prison and the university.” – Phil Novis, governor, HMP Leicester

De Montfort University has been working collaboratively to deliver courses in Criminology with HMP Gartree since November 2016. These five session courses are structured primarily around group work and discussion, but time is provided for voluntary written individual responses and reflections. In 2016 students from De Montfort University and HMP Leicester joined together for an intensive short criminology module. Led by Ross Little, a criminology lecturer at De Montfort, and supported by Phil Novis, then Governor at HMP Leicester, 17 students were brought together to discuss criminological controversies over a week-long course.