Prisons

Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact)

Descending from the Catholic Prisoners Aid Society founded in 1898, Pact (Prison Advice and Care Trust) is the national Catholic charity that supports prisoners, people with convictions and their children and families.

Vision 

Pact’s vision is of a society in which justice is understood as a process of restoration and healing, in which prisons are used sparingly and as places of learning and rehabilitation, and in which the innate dignity and worth of every human being is valued. 

Mission 

Pact is a pioneering national charity that supports prisoners, people with convictions, and their children and families. Their staff and volunteers provide caring and life-changing services at every stage of the criminal justice process: in court, in more than 60 prisons across England and Wales, on release, and in the community. Taking a public health-based approach, they help people to make a fresh start and to work towards the common good of society. 

Prisoners’ Families Helpline 

Pact runs the national Prisoners’ Families Helpline, which provides sound advice and support for families and friends affected by imprisonment. 

The free, confidential helpline is available on 0808 808 3444 or info@prisonersfamilies.org.