Prisoners turn new page with launch of Reading Laureate
Author Lee Child announced as first ever Prison Reading Laureate.
- Author Lee Child announced as first ever Prison Reading Laureate
- Role will boost prisoner’ literacy skills to help reduce reoffending
- Initiative part of National Year of Reading 2026, part of Plan for Change
Prisoners are being given the chance to start a new chapter away from crime with the launch of the first ever Prison Reading Laureate.
Author Lee Child best known for the Jack Reacher book series will be the inaugural holder of the role, created to champion the importance of literacy skills in helping prevent prisoners from reoffending.
It comes as data shows more than two-thirds of prisoners enter prison with reading levels below GCSE standard - many at primary school level. This can create major barriers to living crime-free lives, such as being unable to secure a job on release.
The creation of the laureate builds on Government action to ensure prisons deliver punishment that cuts crime and produce better citizens, and not criminals – helping to make our streets safer.
Prisons Minister, Lord Timpson, said:
We know the crucial role education, including learning key skills like reading, can play in helping offenders turn their lives around.
I would like to thank Lee Child for the inspiring work he continues to do in our prisons. The Prison Reading Laureate will be a powerful influence, boosting our efforts to break the cycle of reoffending and create safer streets.
Author Lee Child said:
This isn’t about being soft on crime, it’s about being smart. Improving literacy is an evidence-based, practical approach that works. When people leave prison better equipped to read and learn, they’re less likely to reoffend. That makes communities safer for everyone.
Today’s announcement forms part of the National Year of Reading, a UK-wide campaign Department of Education and the National Literacy Trust to help millions of families, children and communities benefit from the power of reading.
Each year the chosen laureate will bring their own passion and experience to the role, with the freedom to promote specific areas such as supporting children of prisoners, creative writing, or post-release employment in publishing.
Mr Child will initially focus on the expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 in partnership with MP Paul Davies. It will include bringing in more authors to work with prisons across the country and promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.
Background
Key delivery partners for prison literacy include:
- Shannon Trust: Expanding peer-to-peer reading support in prisons using the Turning Pages programme
- National Literacy Trust: Running monthly workshops including reading groups, creative writing sessions, spoken word and storytelling workshops for children
- Bang-Up Books: Has distributed over 150,000 books to more than 100 prisons
- Prison Reading Groups: Delivering monthly book groups, family reading days and creative reading projects across approximately 80 prisons. Throughout the year they will continue their work with ongoing opportunities to read regularly together and improve access to free books
- Storybook Mums and Dads: Enabling imprisoned parents to record audio and video of themselves reading stories for their children
- The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads books will be used throughout the year, making great stories genuinely accessible to every reader and celebrating exciting campaign moments like World Book Night.