the Howard League for Penal Reform
/ðə ˌhaʊəd liːɡ fə ˈpiːnl rɪfɔːm/
/ðə ˌhaʊərd liːɡ fər ˈpiːnl rɪfɔːrm/
- a British organization that since 1866 has worked to improve conditions in prisons, and to help people who are in prison or leaving it. It is named after John Howard (1726-90), a rich man who visited prisons and worked to make the public aware of the terrible conditions in them, until the government was forced to pass laws to improve these.