What are IPPs sentences and why are they so destructive?

It's the 27th of April 2023. We join reporter Sam Asumadu as she takes us back to the time when she first heard about IPPs (Imprisonment for Public Protection) sentences during a meeting with Shirley Debono, who’s been campaigning for justice for IPPs since her son Shaun received an IPP sentence for a street robbery without violence. He was given a two-and-a-half-year tariff back in 2005, and he’s still serving the sentence, nearly 18 years later.

There are currently 2,916 people trapped in prison on an IPP sentence. They are 'ghost prisoners': none of them know when they are getting out or whether their IPP sentence could mean life in prison. Sam speaks to Lord Blunkett, who introduced the IPP sentence back in 2005 when he was Home Secretary, he tells her it’s a decision he now regrets. 

Sam follows Shirley and other IPP campaigners as they attend a debate in Westminster Hall, called by Sir Bob Neill to address the Government's response to the Justice Select Committee's report on IPP sentences, which was delivered in February 2023. The campaigners are hopeful that the government will reverse their rejection of the Justice Committee's recommendation to resentence all prisoners serving an IPP sentence.

Sam also speaks to Clara White, whose brother Thomas has been imprisoned on an IPP sentence since 2012 after receiving a 2-year tariff for stealing a mobile phone. Thomas’s story is highlighted by James Daley MP at the Westminster Hall Debate as evidence of the harm IPP sentences do to prisoners and their families. 

Contributors in order of appearance:

Shirley Debono, Campaigner and mother of Shaun Lloyd, who is serving an IPP.

Dr. Jo Shingler, Forensic Psychologist @ShinglerJo

Alana Bell, Sister of IPP serving prisoner, Wayne Bell

Hank Rossi, IPP Activist.

Lord David Blunkett, Labour peer

Lord Daniel Moylan, Conservative peer

Mark Day, Prison Reform Trust @PRTuk

Sir Bob Neill MP, Chair of the Justice Select Committee

James Daly, Conservative MP

Clara White, Campaigner and sister of IPP serving prisoner, Thomas White.

Thomas White, Prisoner serving an IPP.

Dean Kingham, Solicitor, lawyer to Thomas White

Andrea Coomber, The Howard League for Penal Reform @TheHowardLeague

Bishop Mick Fleming, Church on the Street

Production Team:

Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu

Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg

Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS

Consultant: Hank Rossi

An Ear Worm Production for the Institute of Now

Get involved:

➕ Follow Trapped on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod 

🔎 Search #IPPScandal for more stories.

🗣️ Read more about the IPP campaign: UNGRIPP | www.ungripp.com | @UNGRIPP | IPP Committee In Action @ActionIpp | injustice_of_ipp

✔️ Like, follow and share this podcast to get people listening: knowledge is power and the more who know, the harder it is for injustice to take place. 

✍️ Write to your MP and ask them to raise questions about IPPs in Parliament

⬇️ Download the Trapped series episode transcripts here: https://drive.google.com

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