Ministry of Justice (MOJ) figures indicate that one in five Muslims in prisons in England and Wales is white, a proportion substantially higher than the 5.8 percent found in the general population. This statistic has fueled concerns and calls for an urgent investigation into the possibility of recruitment campaigns by extremist gangs within correctional facilities.
Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, highlighted these figures, stating that the disproportionately high percentage of white Muslim prisoners raises serious questions. He cited repeated warnings from experts regarding forced conversions occurring behind bars, allegedly driven by Islamic gangs. Timothy urged the Labour party to investigate and address the issue of forced conversions in prisons.
Jonathan Hall KC, the Government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, previously warned about forced Islamic conversions in his 2022 report on terrorism in prisons. He described instances where Islamist terrorists acted as "self-styled emirs," exerting control through "leadership and recruitment." Hall noted that this involved recruiting "vulnerable or lonely prisoners, using guidance, sharing of food or material gifts" and "conversion backed by implicit or actual violence." The report referenced the case of London Bridge attacker Usman Khan, who allegedly encouraged other prisoners to adopt Muslim names and dress while attempting to convert them.
Lawyers who regularly visit high-security prisons have reported that inmates sometimes convert to Islam for protection soon after arriving. According to these accounts, new arrivals may quickly integrate into gang hierarchies, with some prison wings being dominated by Muslim gangs. This phenomenon has also been documented by Ian Acheson, who reviewed Islamist extremism in prisons and described how the power of certain Muslim gangs has prompted inmates to convert for safety.
A government-commissioned review in 2023 found that gangs in some prisons were reportedly ordering inmates to become Muslims or face violence. The author of that report, Colin Bloom, stated that failing to identify as a Muslim could lead to a new prisoner being denied "protection" from dominant Muslim gangs or, at worst, subjected to violence and intimidation.
Reports have also surfaced about prisoners becoming "convenience Muslims," converting for perceived advantages such as increased time outside cells for meetings and prayers, or access to what is described as higher-quality halal food.
The MOJ has previously contended that attributing the rise in white Muslim prisoners to Muslim gangs is based on "wholly anecdotal evidence" and maintains that faith-based coercion is not tolerated. A MOJ spokesman stated that prisons and staff act swiftly to address all threatening behavior from any groups or individuals.
Recent MOJ figures also show an increase in the number of Muslim chaplains in prisons, with 140 Muslim chaplains employed, compared to 87 for the Church of England. The number of white Muslim prisoners in England and Wales rose by 16 percent from 2,767 in 2022 to 3,218 as of June 30, 2025. The overall Muslim inmate population increased by 14 percent during the same period, from 14,037 to 16,051.