Anne Owers

Anne Elizabeth Owers (nee Spark), CBE, (born 23 June 1947), is Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons. Owers is the fifth holder of the post, and was appointed in August 2001, succeeding David Ramsbotham. Prior to this post she was Director of JUSTICE, the UK-based human rights and law reform organisation [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1466598.stm "BBC News report", 1 August 2001: "Anne Owers: Campaigner turned prison watchdog".] ] . In 2000, she was awarded the CBE for her work on human rights [ [http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/about/documents/degreeCitations/2005/anneOwers.pdf Citation for appointment as pro chancellor of South Bank University in 2005.] ] .

Anne Owers was educated at Washington Grammar School, County Durham, and at Girton College, Cambridge. On graduating she went to Zambia to teach and to carry out research into African history. While taking time out to bring up her three children, Owers continued to undertake research and voluntary advice and race relations work [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3174412.ece "Times online",12 January 2008: "Anne Owers knows what life’s like on the inside speaks out: Anne Owers says new ‘superjails’ may not solve prisons crisis" by Helen Rumbelow and Alice Miles (with biographical notes)] .] . In June 2008, she was appointed Chair of Christian Aid, in succession to John Gladwin ["The Guardian", 25 June 2008, "SocietyGuardian" section p.10, Column c "Ins and Outs".] .

She opposes the Government's proposal to build "Titan jails" [ [http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/6654 Report (30 January 2008) of BBC Radio interview on the "Today" programme with Anne Owers.] ]

External references

* [http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/docs/expectations06.pdf?view=Binary Expectations of HM Prison Inspectorate (2006 edition) online] .

References

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title = Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
years = 2001-present
before = David Ramsbotham
after = Incumbent