With the youth custodial population close to an all-time high, it takes a determined woman to lead a campaign to stem the tide. Penelope Gibbs is that woman.
Gibbs, who is five months into her post as director of the Prison Reform Trust's strategy to reduce child and youth imprisonment, has had an impressive, if varied career.
She was previously a radio producer for the BBC and director of the Voluntary Action Media Unit, part of the charity TimeBank. However, youth imprisonment became an issue close to her heart after she spent three years as a magistrate.
"I've seen in courts how some young people end up in prison," says Gibbs. "I personally felt that prison should be a last resort and that it was being overused."
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