User Voice was founded by Mark Johnson MBE, best-selling author of Wasted, based on his own lived experience of the criminal justice system and the drivers of crime. From 2009 Mark and his team pioneered the meaningful engagement of people with lived experience as a vital component of improving our failing justice system. We continue this work as torchbearers, both in the present and into the future.
In our prisons and probation work we have broken down the ‘them and us’, enabling staff and people with convictions to work cooperatively to improve prison and probation environments.
Our work creates tangible outcomes. In the last 15 years we have engaged over 160,000 people in the justice system through our research and consultations, run 37 Prison Councils and 25 community councils, utilising the insights created to deliver meaningful change.
We have also employed over 300 people with convictions since we launched, some of whom have gone on to senior roles in the justice sector and beyond.
