By Christopher Stacey, Chief Executive, and Charlotte Flinterman, Director of Resettlement Support, Prisoners Abroad

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For almost fifty years, Prisoners Abroad has supported British citizens imprisoned overseas and their families. Every day, our staff hear stories of resilience, loss, isolation, determination and hope. We support people in prisons around the world and help them take the first steps towards rebuilding their lives when they return to the UK.

Yet for all the expertise developed through decades of frontline work, there has always been a fundamental question we have wanted to answer more fully: What happens to people after they return from prison overseas? This question frames a range of further questions: What are the factors that help someone establish a stable life? What barriers stand in their way? What role does support from family, communities, statutory agencies and organisations like ours play in helping people move forward?

A few years ago, we realised that while there was extensive research into imprisonment, rehabilitation and resettlement within domestic criminal justice systems, the challenges people face and the risks of reoffending, there was remarkably little evidence about British citizens returning from prisons overseas, even though they  often require many of the same support services as those leaving prison domestically. Their experiences were largely absent from public discussion, policymaking and academic research. Existing systems and services are not designed with their specific needs and circumstances in mind, or they cannot access them at all, and that gap mattered to us.

At Prisoners Abroad we have always sought to be informed not only by compassion, but by evidence. We wanted to understand whether what we believed, based on years of practice, stood up to rigorous scrutiny. We wanted to identify where our support was most effective and where it might need to evolve. And we wanted to build an evidence base that could influence policy and improve outcomes for those who come after.

For those reasons, we developed a partnership with the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge and successfully secured funding from the Dawes Trust to undertake what has become the largest UK study of its kind. The report published today is the result of that collaboration.

Dr Angelique Mulholland (far left) and Dr Caroline Lanskey (far right) pictured with Prisoners Abroad staff at our offices

Having spent time reflecting on its findings, we believe it makes a significant contribution not only to our understanding of British citizens imprisoned overseas but also to wider discussions about rehabilitation, belonging, citizenship and social inclusion.

Beyond "coming home"

One of the findings that resonated most strongly with Prisoners Abroad was the challenge the research poses to our assumptions about what it means to return to the UK.

The language of "resettlement" suggests that someone is coming back to a place that is familiar, comfortable and recognisably home. Yet for many participants in this study, that was not their experience.

Some had spent decades abroad. Others had emigrated as children. Some had established careers, relationships and families in the countries where they lived before their imprisonment. For these individuals, returning to the UK was not really a return at all. It was the start of life in a country that felt unfamiliar and, in some cases, foreign.

Having worked with this client group for many years, we are aware of this and actively seek to address this in a very practical way. We support individuals in understanding the UK housing market, navigating the job market and accessing the welfare system.

The research invites us to consider more deeply the lasting effects of these experiences, and the language that we use. Citizenship and belonging are not always the same thing. Holding a British passport does not necessarily mean that someone feels, identifies as, or is perceived as British, and the research showed us the long-lasting impact this can have on their sense of belonging and their experience of  (re)settlement.

For Prisoners Abroad, this reinforces the need for support that responds to people's individual histories and circumstances rather than assumptions about where they belong. The introduction of our Lived Experience Advisory Group will play an important role in helping us achieve this, ensuring that the perspective and experiences of those we support inform our approach.

The long shadow of imprisonment

Another powerful theme running through the report is the enduring impact of imprisonment overseas.

Many participants described experiences that left deep and lasting marks on their lives. Some reported exposure to violence, instability and conditions that would be unfamiliar to many people in the UK. Others described prolonged uncertainty, isolation from family, language barriers and experiences that raised concerns about human rights abuses.

What is particularly striking is the extent to which these experiences continued to shape people's lives long after release. The effects were visible in their mental and physical health, their relationships, their confidence, their sense of trust and their ability to navigate everyday life. This finding is important because it challenges any assumption that practical support alone is sufficient.

Helping somebody access accommodation, a bank account or a mobile phone remains essential. Indeed, the research confirms the importance of precisely this kind of support. But rehabilitation from imprisonment overseas is often a much longer journey.

The findings underline the importance of trauma-informed practice and suggest that some individuals may benefit from support and intervention long after the immediate resettlement period has ended.

As a charity, this is an area where we will continue to reflect on what more can be done, both directly and through partnerships with specialist organisations, and is why we are thrilled to have recently announced a new two-year mental health project to offer trauma-informed 1:1 and group counselling for people returning to the UK after imprisonment overseas, delivered by a qualified counsellor consultant.

Our aim for this project is to take a more active role in understanding the complex emotional and psychological impact of resettlement in order to better support individuals’ needs, as well as to incorporate these findings into our structural ethos and the way we think about (re)settlement.

Rethinking success

One of the most interesting findings in the report is that many participants did not identify "desistance from crime" as a central issue in their lives. For some, this was because their imprisonment did not form part of an ongoing pattern of offending. Others felt they had moved into a different stage of life defined by family responsibilities, health needs or ageing.

This is an important reminder that the experiences of people imprisoned overseas do not always align with well-established academic or policy concepts that apply to people in UK prisons. Most people spoke instead about wanting the same things that all of us want: stable housing, meaningful work, supportive relationships, good health and a sense of purpose – to live a ‘good life’. In many respects, the report therefore invites us to think beyond the narrow question of whether somebody reoffends.

Of course, avoiding future involvement in the criminal justice system matters. But the findings suggest that flourishing is a much broader concept. Success can be measured in stronger relationships, reduced loneliness, improved wellbeing, meaningful contribution to society and a renewed sense of agency over one's future. That broader understanding of success should, in our view, shape how charities, policymakers and public services think about support after imprisonment overseas.

The power of human relationships

If there is one lesson that runs consistently throughout the report, it is the importance of relationships. Participants repeatedly described the role played by family members, friends, peers and support workers in helping them rebuild their lives. This should not surprise us. Human beings recover, grow and adapt through connection with others.

What was especially encouraging was the extent to which participants identified Prisoners Abroad as part of those supportive relationships. The report highlights the practical assistance our team provides, but it also points to something equally important: the value of trusted human contact.

Participants spoke about their caseworker as somebody who listened, somebody who understood and somebody who remained alongside them during an exceptionally difficult period of transition.

That reflects an ethos that has always been central to our work. While systems and services matter, people matter too. Often it is the combination of practical help and genuine human connection that creates the conditions in which individuals can begin to rebuild confidence and move forward. The findings reinforce our belief in the value of this approach.

What we will take forward

Good research should not simply be published and placed on a shelf. The purpose of evidence is to inform action.

The recommendations contained within this report provide a valuable framework for the next phase of our development.

Particularly important are the recommendations relating to mental health, trauma, addiction support, peer networks and longer-term engagement with people after their return to the UK.

The findings also highlight the need to consider how support can be accessed more consistently across the country, ensuring that geography does not become a barrier to rebuilding a life. This is also consistent with why, in many cases, we advise people without any local connections to look beyond London as a place to settle, given the significant challenges particularly in relation to accommodation.  

Helpfully, many of these areas already form part of our strategic priorities to 2030, and we will carefully examine these recommendations and use them to inform our future planning, development and delivery on our strategy.

Equally important is the recommendation that people with lived experience should continue to shape the future direction of our work. We strongly agree that the experiences captured in this research should not simply be studied, but actively help guide future decision-making. We were pleased to have been able to support two creative workshops for some of the participants which led to an exhibition displaying artwork they created, and we are looking forward to working with our lived experience advisory group in taking forward the findings of the research. 

Implications beyond Prisoners Abroad

While the report contains important lessons for our organisation, its significance extends beyond the charity.

The findings raise wider questions about deportation practices, access to legal advice, prison transfers, rehabilitation programmes and consular support.

They also highlight the continuing impact of social inequalities that shape people's opportunities after release. Factors such as class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and health frequently intersect with the challenges associated with imprisonment overseas.

The report therefore provides a platform for wider conversations with government, consular services, criminal justice agencies, academics and civil society organisations.

We hope it will encourage a more nuanced understanding of British citizens imprisoned overseas and challenge simplistic assumptions that often dominate discussions about this population.

Looking ahead

When we first began discussing this research project, our ambition was straightforward. We wanted to build a stronger evidence base so that support for British citizens returning from prison overseas could be improved. Since then, what has emerged is something even more valuable.

This report gives voice to the experiences of people whose journeys are rarely heard. It shines a light on their resilience as well as the barriers they face. It validates many aspects of existing practice while identifying opportunities to do better. And it gives us a clearer understanding of what helps people create meaningful lives after imprisonment overseas.

We are grateful to Drs Caroline Lanskey and Angelique Mulholland at the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge for their rigour, insight and commitment throughout the project. We are also deeply grateful to the Dawes Trust for recognising the importance of this work and making it possible.

Most importantly, we thank the individuals who shared their experiences. Their honesty and generosity have created knowledge that will help shape services, policy and practice for years to come.

For Prisoners Abroad, this is not the end of a project. It is the beginning of the next conversation about how we can use evidence, experience and partnership to ensure that people returning from prison overseas have the opportunity not merely to survive, but to build lives in which they can genuinely thrive.

 Learn more about the project  Download the research paper