Preservation of the Rights of Prisoners
Preservation of the Rights of Prisoners (PROP) was a prisoners' rights organisation set up in the early 1970s in the United Kingdom, which organised more than one hundred prison demonstrations, strikes and protests.
Formation
In the first five months of 1972 there were across the United Kingdom over fifty peaceful protests by prisoners.[1]: 176 PROP was launched on 11 May 1972 in a public house, the Prince Arthur opposite Pentonville Prison, to "preserve, protect and to extend the rights of prisoners and ex-prisoners and to assist in their rehabilitation and re-integration into society, so as to bring about a reduction in crime."[2]
PROP's foundation meeting was held in Hull and was attended by 60 people. Speakers included Norwegian sociologist Thomas Mathiesen, Jack Ashwell local branch secretary of the TGWU and Ros Kane from Radical Alternatives to Prison.[3] The sociologist Mike Fitzgerald took on the role of press officer.
Prison strike
Later, on 4 August 1972, PROP organise a 24-hour general strike in support of the demands in the PROP charter.[4] Prop estimated the support at 10,000 prisoners in 33 prisons, the Home Office at half that.[5]
The prisons listed by PROP were:[1]
Later history
PROP were active for a few years, it's not clear when the organisation closed.[5]
References
- ^ a b Fitzgerald, Mike (1976). Prisoners in revolt: the origin and development of Preservation of the Rights of Prisoners (PROP), the British Prisoners Union. Leicester: University of Leicester.
- ^ Fitzgerald, M. (1977) Prisoners in Revolt, Harmondsworth: Penguin pg.136-137
- ^ Fitzgerald, M. (1977) Prisoners in Revolt, Harmondsworth: Penguin pg.142-143
- ^ Taylor, I. (1981) Law and Order: Arguments for Socialism, London: Macmillan pg.128
- ^ a b https://libcom.org/article/prop-72-history-uk-prisoners-union