The Secret Life of Prisons podcast

The Coronavirus pandemic led to many restrictions to all of our lives. For people in prison the restrictions were particlarly severe. The biggest impact was felt when all social visits were halted for many months, meaning people serving custodial sentences weren't able to see their families, friends and loved-ones in person. In response, the Prison Service introduced video calls. In this special episode, presenters Paula Harriott and Phil Maguire get the inside track on how this roll-out happened, what the impact was and what the future may hold for video call technology in prison. They're joined by: Dr Anna Kotova - Lecturer in Criminology at the School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham; Tracy O'Donnell - host of the Family and Friends Request Show on National Prison Radio, and mother of two sons in prison; Tim Lloyd - Head of Family Services at HM Prison and Probation Service. They also hear from Stephen, who was in prison during the height of the lockdown and describes how those calls worked from inside prison. Thanks to the University of Birmingham and the Sir Halley Stewart Trust for funding the research. This episode was recorded in April 2022.

On 5 October 2015, Nigel Poor, a photographer who worked in San Quentin State Prison in California, and Earlonne Woods, who was serving a long sentence in the same prison, came up with an idea that would ultimately secure Earlonne's freedom. They're the presenter/producers of Ear Hustle, the multi award-winning, global podcast hit from Radiotopia that tells the daily stories of prison life. In this final episode of the series, they join Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott to share reflections on prison, the media and freedom. Check out Ear Hustle at www.earhustlesq.com

The creative arts in prison aren't just a 'nice-to-have'. For some they can be a passport to freedom and even a lifesaver. Saul Hewish has visited over 100 prisons in his long career as a the founder and Artistic Director of Rideout, a charity that runs creative arts for rehabilitation. He joins Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott in a series of conversations with people who, in one way or another, found their creative calling in prison. Lee Cutter's fantastic art can be found here: http://www.leecutter.com Brenda Birungi's poetry can be found at: https://www.unchainedpoetry.com  Rideout's homepage is: https://rideout.org.uk/ Walking the Wing, the audio drama produced in lockdown, can be heard here: https://soundcloud.com/saul-hewish-726672794 This episode of The Secret Life of Prisons was funded by the University of Reading as part of the 'Sounding Out: Facilitating Incarcerated People's Involvement in Penal Policy Reform' research project led by Dr Sarah Bartley in collaboration with Rideout Creative Arts for Rehabilitation and the Prison Reform Trust. The Department of Film, Theatre, Television at The University of Reading can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/film-theatre-television/

In 2021, the legendary TV screenwriter Jimmy McGovern released a three-part drama called Time on BBC1. People living and working in prisons have almost universally agreed that it's the most astonishingly realistic depiction of prison life they've ever seen.  National Prison Radio listeners were aware it was in the planning two years ago, when they broadcast a talk Jimmy gave at HMP Erlestoke describing the writing process. In this episode, Phil and Paula are joined by Jimmy along with the Executive Producer Tom Sherry to discuss the complexities of depicting prisons on the small screen. We also hear that clip from Jimmy's talk behind bars. Time is available to watch on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p09fs2qh/time

George the Poet is a spoken word performer and recording artist. His acclaimed podcast series, Have You Heard George's Podcast?, became the first non-US podcast to win the Peabody Award. He is a long-time advocate and campaigner for a fairer justice system. This episode was recorded at the 2021 Longford Lecture, an annual event run by the Longford Trust which supports people in the justice system with education and mentoring.  For more information on the Longford Trust, visit www.longfordtrust.org.

How to survive a life sentence We're back in the studio with two people who have been to prison and are now outside living with a 'life licence', to talk about 'hooks for change' and the what happens as the reality of being a 'lifer' dawns on you. They join Phil and Paula in the studio, along with criminologists Serena Wright and Ben Crewe. Serena is a researcher and Lecturer in Criminology in the Department of Law and Criminology at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. Her research on prisons and penology has focused on short-term sentences and post-release ‘frustrated desistance' among women, and the experience of long-term incarceration among life-sentenced prisoners. Ben is Deputy Director of the Prisons Research Centre at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. He is interested in all aspects of prison life, including prison management, staff-prisoner relationships, public and private sector imprisonment, penal power and prisoner social life. Further reading: Experiencing long-term imprisonment from young adulthood (Wright, Crewe, Hulley): Ministry of Justice Life Imprisonment from Young Adulthood (Wright, Crewe, Hulley): Palgrave Macmillan  

What is it like to receive a life sentence? Tammy and Zahid are both lifers.  Tammy was 36 when she received a life sentence with a 14 year tariff. She was released from prison in November 2020. Zahid was 20 when he received a life sentence under joint enterprise laws. His tariff was 15 years. They're now both released from prison and are living with a 'life licence'. They join Phil and Paula in the studio, along with criminologists Susie Hulley and Serena Wright. Susie is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. She is interested in how young people are affected by the criminal justice system, particularly their experiences of criminalisation and imprisonment. Her recent work focuses on the application of ‘joint enterprise' by criminal justice practitioners (including lawyers and the police) and the impact of this legal doctrine on young people. Serena is a researcher and Lecturer in Criminology in the Department of Law and Criminology at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. Her research on prisons and penology has focused on short-term sentences and post-release ‘frustrated desistance' among women, and the experience of long-term incarceration among life-sentenced prisoners.. She is particularly interested in the intersection between trauma, addiction, and criminalisation, and between health, gender and criminal justice.  Further reading: Experiencing long-term imprisonment from young adulthood (Crewe, Hulley, Wright): Ministry of Justice Life Imprisonment from Young Adulthood (Crewe, Hulley, Wright): Palgrave Macmillan  

A brand new series of The Secret Life of Prisons starts Monday. Listen to this sneak preview of some of the voices we'll be hearing through this series, bringing you the real-life drama of life behind bars. Subscribe or Follow this feed. www.prison.radio

In our final episode of the year, guests Duewaine and Brenda are back with Phil and Paula to talk about the significance of New Year in prison. They're joined by Marc Conway who, having spent roughly fifteen New Year's Eves inside, discusses how attitudes towards the celebration vary. Presenters: Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott Guests: Duewaine, Brenda Birungi aka Lady Unchained and Marc Conway Producer: Louisa Adams

How does it feel to spend Christmas Day in prison? Phil and Paula talk about the difficulties of being locked up over Christmas and the little things that help with getting through the day. They're joined by former National Prison Radio presenter Duewaine and poet Brenda Birungi, aka Lady Unchained, who share their memories of Christmas in prison. Presenters: Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott Guests: Duewaine and Lady Unchained Producer: Louisa Adams

How should we look after young people inside? Phil and Paula hear from Courtney, who went to prison when she was a teenager. She reveals the emotional trauma of being locked up and reflects on the role prison played in rebuilding her life. Earlier this year Courtney featured in the first episode of our sister podcast, Future Prison, where she shared her experiences with Dr Hegla Swindenbank, Executive Director for Youth Custody Services at the Ministry of Justice, and Dr Giles McCathie, Lead Psychologist for Youth Custody Services. You can listen to all seven episodes of Future Prison here, including a brand new episode following up those conversations six months on. Presenters: Phil Maguire, Paula Harriott and Hilary Ineomo-Marcus Guests: Courtney, Dr Helga Swindenbank and Dr Giles McCathie This episode contains references to self harm and suicide.

In this episode, Paula and Phil talk about the importance of the telephone in prison, and what better way to do that than to call up a few friends of the podcast? Peter Yarwood, Chief Executive of Red Rose Recovery, author Rich Jones and Kemi Ryan, co-founder of Reformed Development, explain what the phone meant to them while they were in prison. And Dr Kimmett Edgar, Head of Research at the Prison Reform Trust, is back to tell us more about how the pandemic has affected the ways people inside can speak to their loved ones. Presenters: Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott Guests: Peter Yarwood, Dr Kimmett Edgar, Rich Jones and Kemi Ryan Producers: Louisa Adams and Andrew Wilkie

Can you make lasting friendships in prison? In episode two of our new series, Phil and Paula talk about the ups and the downs of making friends inside. They're joined by guests Rob and Mike aka Boats, who made friends during their time in HMP Rochester and now co-host the podcast, Banged Up. Rob and Boats share stories of how they met and let us in on the secret to staying mates on the outside. You can listen to all fourteen episodes of Banged Up here, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenters: Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott Guests: Rob and Boats Producers: Louisa Adams and Andrew Wilkie

We're back with a new series of the Secret Life of Prisons podcast. In this first episode, presenters Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott reunite to talk about the power of writing - both in prison and after release. They hear from a special panel, hosted by poet Mr Gee, where guests Jerelle, Dee and Jeanno share their experiences of prison through their writing. This episode was originally made for the Bare Lit Festival, an independent, annual festival of stories, celebrating the work of creatives of colour. You can find out more about Bare Lit and listen to sessions from this year's festival here. Presenters: Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott Guests: Mr Gee, Jerelle, Dee and Jeanno Producers: Louisa Adams and Arthur Hagues

The Prison Radio Association is the charity that produces this podcast. Our day job is running National Prison Radio, which is the world's first national radio station for people in prison. It broadcasts 24/7 into the cells of 80,000 people in prison across England and Wales. Last night, Thursday 26 November, we attended not one, but TWO award ceremonies. Both online. One was the Criminal Justice Alliance Media Awards, and the other was the Audio Production Awards, one of the major dates in the UK media calendar. It was hosted by Jeremy Vine and Snoochie Shy. It was an amazing night, and we wanted to tell our listeners in prison all about it. We also wanted to give you the chance to hear some of what makes National Prison Radio special. Presenters: Andrew Wilkie and Brenda Birungi Guests: Hilary Ineomo-Marcus, Anthony Olanipekun, Nancy Prentice, Jerelle Forbes, Phil Maguire Producer: Andrew Wilkie

In April 1990, Strangeways prison in Manchester was subject to disorder and protests that lasted weeks. It was the longest prison disturbance in British history. This concluding episode looks at what's happened in the 30 years since the Strangeways riots, asking fundamental questions about what prison is for.  Featuring: Strangeways governor Brendan O'Friel; Lord Woolf; Professor Joe Sim; Former prisoner and journalist Eric Allison; Professor Elaine Player; Dr David Scott; Safe Ground's Charlotte Weinberg. The 25 Days in April episodes were produced with the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, and funded by the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust.

In April 1990, Strangeways prison in Manchester was subject to disorder and protests that lasted weeks. It was the longest prison disturbance in British history. This is a deep-dive into the events leading up to that day, the disturbance itself, and the aftermath.  It includes interviews with then-governor Brendan O'Friel, former prison officer Steve Whitfield, criminologist Professor Joe Sim, former prisoner and now Guardian journalist Eric Allison, and journalist David Nolan, plus archive news recordings from the time. The 25 Days in April episodes were produced in partnership with the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, and were funded by the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust.

The Secret Life of Prisons is returning, featuring stories from behind bars.  Ahead of our new series, we'll be releasing a two-part deep-dive documentary, 25 Days In April, telling the story of the longest prison disturbance in British history - the Strangeways riots of 1990. Part one, released on Thursday 10 September, will go through the events of April 1990, with vivid archive recordings from the site. Part two, released on Thursday 17 September, will expand on what's happened in the 30 years since Strangeways. Subscribe to this feed to hear this, and more from the Secret Life of Prisons.

A new virus grips the world. Echoes tells the true stories of four people whose lives were changed forever. Echoes is a unique drama, originally broadcast on National Prison Radio, the world's first national radio station for prisoners. The script is created entirely from the words of the real people portrayed. Actors are listening to the recordings through headphones and repeating what they say. It was filmed and recorded entirely on location in HMP Brixton. You can watch the film on the Prison Radio Association's YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/1XbfV_96QX0 CAST: Lizzie - Natalie Perera Sophie - Harriet Madeley Pank - Mark Knightley George - Deven Moda SCRIPT: Harriet Madeley PRODUCER: Andrew Wilkie Echoes is a co-production between Crowded Room and the Prison Radio Association www.thisiscrowdedroom.co.uk www.prison.radio

Echoes - brand new drama coming to the Secret Life of Prisons this Friday at 5pm. Watch the filmed version here: youtu.be/1XbfV_96QX0

Regular presenters Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott discuss how the lockdown is impacting people in prison, and what we on the outside can learn about prison from life under lockdown. They're joined by the journalist Raphael Rowe, who served more than a decade in prison before his conviction was overturned, and Michaela Booth who received a four year sentence in 2011. Also joining the show is regular guest, the poet Mr Gee. www.prison.radio www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk

This Friday on Secret Life of Prisons - we'll be releasing a Lockdown Special. What can we learn from prisons about lockdown? And what can we learn from lockdown about prisons? Presenter Phil Maguire will be joined as usual by Paula Harriott, poet Mr Gee, and guests who know what it's like to be locked up - both in prison and out. Subscribe to Secret Life of Prisons, and check your feed this Friday for the Secret Life of Prisons - Lockdown Special.

This special episode of The Secret of Prisons was recorded live at the Longford Lecture at Church House, in London, on Thursday 21st November. The 2019 Longford Lecture was given  by the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian, Lord Blair of Boughton, to a packed audience. Lord Blair spoke to presenters Phil Maguire and Paula Harriot before speaking on stage, alongside the broadcaster Jon Snow, a Longford trustee and chair of the event. Lord Blair’s lecture implored all political parties in the election campaign to back a “systematic, holistic review” of the criminal justice system, which he argued was “not yet actually broken but it is so neglected as to be a matter of serious national concern.”

In Episode 4, Paula and Phil hear stories about the road back out of prison, in The Release. Ruth Devent and Peter Yarwood both share their stories of being released and the bumpy path that followed. James Timpson, CEO of Timpson, reveals the many reasons his company chooses to employ people released from prison. Carl Cattermole writes and delivers a powerful piece on being released and the poet Mr Gee performs an original poem about life after prison.

In episode 3 of The Secret Life of Prisons, Paula and Phil ask what's it like to visit a family member in prison? Author of the award winning blog 'Prison.bag', Josie Bevan and her daughter Tala, talk about being regular prison visitors. Carl Cattermole delivers a powerful piece on prison visits, poet Mr Gee performs an original poem written during this recording and Dr Kimmett Edgar reflects on the truth behind the headlines and the statistics. 

In episode 2 of The Secret Life of Prisons, Phil and Paula hear what it's like to live in The Cell. Wrongly-imprisoned journalist Raphael Rowe and author and blogger David Breakspear share their stories of living in a cell.  Carl Cattermole is an award-winning dramatist and author, he writes and delivers a powerful piece about living in prison. Dr Kimmett Edgar reflects on the true meaning behind prison related headlines and statistics. And poet, Mr Gee, delivers his poem at the end of the episode, written during the recording.

In Episode 1 of The Secret Life of Prisons, hosts, Phil Maguire and Paula Harriot hear stories about The Arrival into prison. They hear from poet and performer, Brenda Birungi (aka Lady Unchained), music entrepreneur Curtis Blanc and former MP and conservative cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken, about their respective arrivals into prison.