Prison walls separate more than people, as where you stand in relation to those walls can also predict how likely you are to struggle with reading, writing, and speaking.
The National Literacy Trust reports that 62% of people beginning a prison sentence will have a reading age of about 11.
Meanwhile, at least 60% of children engaged with the youth justice system will have a language impairment, according to research by speech therapist Karen Bryan.
Compare that to the rest of the population, where only 10% of people will have a language impairment (Speech and Language UK).
So why do so many people in prison struggle with these skills?
