Justice Defenders

Also known as: African Prisons Project

Legal education, training, and practice with prison communities in Africa.

Activities & Mission

Legal education, training, and practice with prison communities in Africa.

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Country

Kenya The Gambia Uganda United States

Financial Information

Latest Income

£2,121,897

Latest Expenditure

£2,274,868

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 96.2%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 61% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 109). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 89.7%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 21% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 10.7%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 22% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £2,113,684

Charitable Activities £0

Other Trading £0

Investments £8,213

Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £2,041,200

Raising Funds £233,668

Governance £10,000

Grants to Institutions £0

Other Expenditure £0

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2024.

One or more years show a significant change in income (over ±100%) compared with the prior year. This usually reflects a merger, transfer of activities, restated accounts, or a one-off legacy — not necessarily a real change in operating scale. See the methodology for context.

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2024	£2,121,897	£2,274,868	£2,041,200	£235,290	£164,226	32 / 0
2023	£2,872,761	£2,615,902	£2,425,615	£388,262	£292,564	56 / 0
2022	£5,108,399	£2,494,652	£2,229,509	£3,973,088	£3,775,700	49 / 0
2021	£2,454,574	£1,830,533	£1,597,084	£1,359,340	£1,152,473	46 / 0
2020	£1,574,729	£1,514,531	£1,296,381	£735,299	£550,296	36 / 0

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Justice Defenders

What does Justice Defenders do?

Legal education, training, and practice with prison communities in Africa.

How much income did Justice Defenders report in 2024?

Justice Defenders reported total income of £2.12m and reported expenditure of £2.27m for the financial year ending 2024, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Justice Defenders?

Justice Defenders has a program ratio of 96.2%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 61% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 109 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Justice Defenders registered as a charity?

Justice Defenders was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 30 November 2007 as charity number 1121764. It has been registered for 19 years.

Who runs Justice Defenders?

Justice Defenders is governed by a board of 4 trustees. The chair of trustees is Luis Franceschi. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Justice Defenders operate?

Justice Defenders operates across 4 areas: Kenya, The Gambia, Uganda and United States.

Is Justice Defenders a registered charity?

Yes — Justice Defenders is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1121764.