It isn't immediately obvious from the Commission on English Prisons Today website that this initiative is not government commissioned, but instead is driven by the Howard League. Hence the claim to be an independent commission. Which caused me to investigate it further as I was interested in the question 'independent of whom or what?'.
The charge against the Howard League is that they are seen as part of the problem rather than the cure by serving prisoners, here and here. Only one in 20 of the commissioners is a former prisoner. Pure tokenism. There are a few names I have time for, however, there is too much dead wood on the board. It's not bark which is needed but bite.
