A symposium shining a light on overcrowding in prisons will be held at Durham Cathedral.

The seminar will be held at the cathedral’s Prior’s Hall, from 9.30am to 1pm on Saturday. It will be chaired by The Very Reverend, Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham, who will host a panel discussion.

Key note speakers, including the chief executive of the prisons in England and Wales, Phil Copple and the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, Colin McConnell.

Durham Police Chief Constable Mike Barton will discuss the strategy behind keeping people out of the criminal justice system, with senior lecturer in criminology at Northumbria University, Louise Ridley, taking a closer look at why so many people are incarcerated.

The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham, said: “There are three prisons, housing 2,000 prisoners situated in Durham City alone, with several other prisons in the diocese. Hundreds of staff and volunteers are linked to these prisons and are a very important part of our community.”

“The prisoners themselves, are for the most part, expected to return to the community on expiry of their sentences, having been rehabilitated. Prisons are committed to this rehabilitation and the prevention of re-offending, but this is hampered by the problem of overcrowding. An associated issue is the rising rate of suicide and violence in prisons. This symposium hopes to address these issues and provide a forum for discussion from key spokespeople who are faced with these problems on a daily basis. It promises to be an informative and thought-provoking event.”

The event is free, but registration is required by visiting www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/whats-on or calling  0191 338 7178 ext 273.