Steve P. Taylor (writer)

Steven (Steve) Paul Taylor (born Bradford, West Yorkshire on 27 August, 1976) is a writer, activist and campaigner on penal affairs. He lives near St Germans, Cornwall. In December 2005, he was awarded The Longford Prize for 'outstanding contribution to social and penal reform'. The Prize is named in the memory of Frank Pakenham, more commonly known as Lord Longford.

Early life

He schooled at St. Bede's Grammar School before studying at Bradford College in the city. He trained as a chef and worked in various locations including Jersey, Worcester, and Southampton, before returning to Bradford. He left the hospitality industry and worked for an ambulance service and for a gay helpline.

Having previously studied Politics at the University of Huddersfield, he continued his studies reading Social Policy & Politics at the University of London Goldsmiths College. Whilst at Goldsmiths College, he presented a current affairs debate programme on the student radio station, 'Wired FM'. Later, he studied for an MA in Criminal Justice at the University of Central England in Birmingham.

Career

He worked at the National Children's Bureau (NCB) on a youth crime campaign called 'Shape'. In January 2004 he took up the post of Coordinator and then Director of the Forum on Prisoner Education, which he held until May 2006. He was a trustee of the Howard League for Penal Reform from October 2000 until May 2006, and was Clerk to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Learning & Skills in the Criminal Justice System from its foundation in September 2005 until May 2006. In 2006 he was listed as one of the 500 most influential gay people in Britain by the Independent newspaper.

Writing

He has written or edited four books: two editions of the Directory of Offender Education, a research report on how prisoners can be given access to the internet, and a volume titled 'Prison(er) Education'. He has also written for all British daily newspapers, and for magazines including Gay Times, Prison Service Journal, the Bevan Review, Safer Society, and the Howard League Magazine. In 2001 he was a member of an Ethics Committee on the BBC Series, The Experiment and, in addition, has appeared on various television programmes on terrestrial and satellite television.

Trivia

He is a nephew of The Rt Hon David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere, who is a member of the House of Lords and a former cabinet minister.