Howard League for Penal Reform

The Howard League for Penal Reform is a registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. It was founded as the Howard Association in 1866 and changed its name in 1921, following a merger with the Penal Reform League. The charity focuses on penal reform in England and Wales. The Howard League is independent of the United Kingdom government and is funded by voluntary donations and membership donations. The charity also receives funding from the Legal Services Commission, as it holds Legal Aid contracts in order to perform its work with young people in custody. The Howard League Centre for Penal Reform, the charity's headquarters since 2000, was officially opened by Betty Boothroyd in November 2001. The Centre is located in north London. History In 1921, the Howard Association merged with the Penal Reform League to become the Howard League for Penal Reform. The Penal Reform League had been founded in 1907 with Arthur St John as Secretary. The new organisation was led by Margery Fry, who had been Secretary of the Penal Reform League since 1918. Fry was succeeded by Cicely Craven as honorary secretary of the Howard League in 1926.