The International Centre for Prison Studies was established in 1997.

It was decided from the outset that the Centre should be independent of governmental and intergovernmental agencies, although it would work closely with them. It was also decided that it needed to be located in an outstanding academic environment. Between 1997 and 2010 the Centre was based in King’s College London. In 2011 ICPS entered into an academic partnership with the University of Essex.

One important way of underlining the international nature of the work of the Centre has been through the composition of its Advisory Board. The Centre is able to call on expert advisers from around the world who between them are representative of the best academic thinking on punishment and imprisonment and of the widest practical experience in the criminal justice field.

The Centre is self-supporting and raises specific funds for all its research and projects activities.

The International Centre for Prison Studies assists governments and other relevant agencies to develop appropriate policies on prisons and the use of imprisonment.

The Centre makes the results of its academic research and projects widely available to groups and individuals, both nationally and internationally. These include policy makers, practitioners and administrators, the media and the general public. Such dissemination will help to increase an understanding of the purpose of prison and what can be expected of it.

It carries out work on a project or consultancy basis for international agencies, governmental and non-governmental organisations.

• To develop a body of knowledge, based on international covenants and instruments, about the principles on which the use of imprisonment should be based, which can be used as a sound foundation for policies on prison issues.
• To build up a resource network for the spread of best practice in prison management worldwide to which prison administrators can turn for practical advice on how to manage prison systems which are just, decent, humane and cost effective.

• To carry out, organise and publish research into the purposes of imprisonment and make this available to policy makers, practitioners, administrators, the media and the general public.
• To disseminate information about the international covenants and instruments relating to detention and imprisonment in a manner which is accessible to prison personnel.
• To share experience about how the international instruments relating to detention and imprisonment should be applied in practice.
• To undertake practical prison projects, which take account of the cultural, social and financial realities in the countries involved, at the request of international agencies, national governments and non-governmental organisations.
• To develop and evaluate models of best practice.
• To build up a data base of good models of prison management and effective projects and making this available on a worldwide basis.
• To make use of an international network of individuals and agencies with a record of achievement in this field of work.
• To organise seminars, conferences and to publish reports which will further these objectives.