In November 2024, Janey Starling from the charity Level Up, called out the presenter of LBC's breakfast show Nick Ferrari live on air for his apparent ignorance of the facts around the imprisonment of women.

In response to that interview, we invited friend of the podcast Dr. Kimmett Edgar to the studio to help us understand what the numbers can tell us about prisons and the people who live in them.

Kimmett is a former Senior Research Officer at the Oxford Centre for Criminological Research and was Head of Research at the Prison Reform Trust.

After finishing this podcast, why not listen to Paula's appearance on BBC Radio 4's Feedback?

Some data sources from this programme: 

• You can find prison population statistics from His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service here.
• Data on reoffending rates is published here.
• Data on ethnicity in the prison popuation can be found here.
• Details of the running costs of individual prisons is published by the Ministry of Justice here.
• Analysis of government spending and performance of prisons by the Institute for Government is published here.
• A study of the impact of short custodial sentences on reoffending was released by the Ministry of Justice here.
• An international comparison of prison populations from the Council of Europe is published here.
• The evidence review of the impact of imprisonment on families is published by the charity Clinks here.
• Data on the causes of death of people in prison published by the Office for National for National Statistics can be found here.
• Ministry of Justice data on self harm in prison is published here.
• A BBC News report on the links between prison and homelessness can be found here.
• You can find a treasure trove of data about prisons in the annual Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile, published by the Prison Reform Trust.

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

Greg Eskridge was released from San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in California, formerly known as San Quentin state prison, on 23 July 2024 after serving 30 years and 25 days.

In prison Greg became a founding member of the Uncuffed radio program and podcast, a project run by the public radio station KALW.

Greg now works full-time as Uncuffed’s first Leadership Fellow, preparing him for leadership roles in the project. 

Eli Wirtschafter is the Program Director for Uncuffed and got to know Greg through his work behind the walls of San Quentin. He trains people in California prisons how to produce radio and podcasts, developing professional broadcasting skills and creating shows.

Listen to the Uncuffed podcast.

The Secret Life of Prisons wishes you a very happy Christmas. We'll be back in the new year with weekly shows dropping every Monday.

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

In November the Sentencing Academy, a charity that aims to improve public understanding of sentencing in England and Wales, released a piece of research entitled 'Who is in prison and what is the purpose of imprisonment?'.

It concluded that most people know very little about prisons.

To test these findings, Phil and Paula went to stand outside the Central Criminal Court in London, better known as the Old Bailey, to ask Londoners about their views on crime, prisons and the people who live in them.

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

Sarah Moore was exposed to the most dangerous situations imaginable during a seven-year period in which she disappeared from her family's life. She wanted to protect them from the effects of her chaotic lifestyle and mental ill-health, both of which she struggled to manage. 

She is now a criminal justice practitioner working at Anawim, a Women's Centre in Birmingham.

Sonya Ruparel is the Chief Executive of Women in Prison, a charity that supports women affected by the criminal justice system and campaigns to end the harms associated with the imprisonment of women.

You can submit evidence to the Independent Sentencing Reivew here.

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

This week we are participating in The Big Give, a national fundraising campaign. 

So in this week's show, we wanted to introduce you to five people who went to prison and now all have careers in broadcasting, thanks to their work with the Prison Radio Association.

Ali Ali is National Prison Radio's breakfast show host and the winner of a silver award at the 2024 ARIAS in the Best New Voice category.

Jules Rowan is one of the multi award-winning hosts of Life After Prison, our podcast for people who have been released from prison.

Nico Constantinou was in prison this time last year, where he learned about radio production. After he was released he took part in our Outside In traineeship and is now working at BBC Radio 1Xtra.

Garth St Clair is the founder of Rise Maximum Radio, which broadcasts from Arouca Maximum Security Prison near Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobage.

The Fantastic Faye Dunn was in Styal prison near Manchester in November 2022 when she was approached by the National Prison Radio team to take part in a programme. Since then she's worked incredibly hard to develop her skills and has impressed the team so much that she now works full-time for the charity on a range of shows, including being the Assistant Producer of this podcast!

If you donate to us before Tuesday 10 December, your donation will be doubled! To make a donation, go to prison.radio/biggive.

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

Sean Henry received multiple prison terms through his early adult life. But receiving a long sentence for a serious offence when his son was just two months old, Sean discovered a different perspective on his own life and the way he had been acting.

With precious support from key people in his life, including his son's mother and their extended family, Sean gradually but decisively made the changes that have transformed his future. His son is now an adult and Sean is able to reflect on why things turned out for him the way they did. 

Sean now works for Sussex Prisoners Families, as well as working with young people who are at risk of following the path Sean followed.

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

On Monday 11 November 2024, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe delivered the annual Longford Lecture at Church House in Westminster. 

Nazanin was imprisoned in 2016 at the end of a family visit to Iran, accused of plotting to overthrow the government by running courses in journalism that the Iranian regime said aimed to train people to spread propaganda against Iran.

She vehemently denied these charges but remained in prison until 2022.

In this year's emotional Longford Lecture, she tells us what she learnt from the experience and explains her passion for penal reform.

For more information about the Longford Trust, visit www.longfordtrust.org 

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

Tyler Voase was released from prison in the summer of 2024. 

He first went into jail in 2022 weighing over 40 stone, and with the support of a well-thought-through and timely intervention from gym staff he reinvented himself, losing 18 stone while in HMP Feltham.

Samy Ali is a Physical Education Instructor (PEI) at HMP Feltham, and he was the member of staff who knocked on Tyler's cell door one day to offer him a job working in the gym. 

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

Matthew Torbitt is a writer and broadcaster. A period of homelessness as a young man led to involvement in crime, for which he received a sentence. These experiences fed a political awakening and a career working with the Labour Party.

Matthew now writes and tours television studios commentating on politics. He joins us down the line from Washington DC.

Ben Zaranko is a Senior Research Economist for the Institute for Fiscal Studies. He is about to start work on a major research project using new data from the Ministry of Justice to assess the economic impacts of the justice system. 

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760

Dwaine Patterson spent 22 years in prison. For seven of those years he was one of a handful of people detained in Close Supervision Centres (CSCs).

CSCs are prisons within prisons, housing those people said to be the most dangerous and disruptive in the entire prison system.

In this remarkable interview, Dwaine describes what it was like to be deemed so dangerous that seven prison officers in riot gear plus a dog handler were required just to unlock his door.

Claire Salama is a solicitor who specialises in the law around imprisonment. She works for the Howard League for Penal Reform and has represented several people who have been housed in CSCs and other segregation units.

You can contact the Howard League's legal advice line here.

Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock

Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn

The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.

To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. 

Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760