Trapped: The IPP Prisoner Scandal

The inside story of the measures being taken by members of the House of Lords for IPP prisoners in the current parliamentary Victims and Prisoners Bill. We join Sam on 11th March 2024, three months after the inquest of Matthew Price, an IPP prisoner on license who took his own life, and one day before the Victims and Prisoners bill committee stage in the House of Lords. The two are linked because this bill is being heralded as perhaps the last opportunity for some time to use legislation to finally close the chapter on imprisonment for public protection sentences (IPPs) which the United Nations have called ‘cruel, inhuman and degrading’. The bill came to the Lords with an amendment which will change the license conditions for IPPs from 10 to 3 years, which might well have saved Matthew Price, who killed himself at the 10-year point of his license. So it's a start, but many think this is not enough, and at this stage there’s an incredible 17 amendments which relate to IPPs, pinned to the Victims and Prisoners Bill. Sam takes us behind the scenes to look closer at the Lord’s amendments, asking how much difference can they make? Can they really change the story on IPPs? Sam meets Lord Moylan who has been coordinating a group of Lords to table the amendments to the Bill. We hear more about his proposed change to the release test for IPP prisoners. She also sits down with Baroness Claire Fox, who is tabling the amendment on resentencing. This was originally proposed by Sir Bob Neil, Chair of the Justice Select Committee, and was rejected by the government back in 2023. Conservative Peer, Earl Attlee is the Grandson of the famous post-war Labour PM. He has long held an interest in criminal justice. He isn't confident that any of the amendments will get much support once they go back to the Commons and describes the political calculations being made by both the Labour and Conservative front benches. Sam also catches up with Matthew Price’s lawyers Emma McClure and Andrew Sperling following Matthew’s inquest. The coroner released a Prevention of Future Deaths report on how the IPP sentence contributed to Matthew’s death, urging the Secretary of State for Justice to act and stop any further deaths occurring. This is one of an unprecedented three Prevention of Future Death notices relating to IPP prisoners, which have been sent to the Government this year. At the Lord's debate on 12th March, the Labour Spokesperson for Justice, Lord Ponsonby and the Conservative Spokesperson for Justice, Lord Bellamy present a united front in opposing Baroness Fox's amendment: is it the end of the road for resentencing IPP prisoners? Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook, IG @Trapped_Pod Follow the campaigners: www.ungripp.com @UNGRIPP & @ActionIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Lord Daniel Moylan Baroness Fox of Berkeley John Richard Attlee, The 3rd Earl Attlee Emma McClure, Consultant Solicitor Andrew Sperling, Solicitor Advocate Credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The IPP sentence has created a sense of hopelessness amongst prisoners, leading to poor mental health, self-harm and numerous suicides, so we are ending this current series by asking ‘what does hope look like’ for IPP serving prisoners? The title of this episode was inspired by Roddy Russell, whose brother Robert is one of the 1269 IPP prisoners who are trapped in prison, and have never been released. Roddy asked Sam to put the question to Lord Blunkett, the architect of the Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence, who now campaigns against it. Today we hear from Frank, an IPP serving prisoner who has been inside for 15 years and counting on a two-and-a-half-year tariff. We also hear from some of those who are at the centre of the campaigning efforts to bring an end to this grievous injustice: including Andrea Coomber, from the Howard League for Penal Reform; Richard Garside from the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Simon Hattenstone from the Guardian and Elisabeth Davies from the Independent Monitoring Boards. Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP ww.ippcommitteeinaction.com / X @ActionIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Frank, IPP serving prisoner Lord David Blunkett Andrea Coomber, Chief Executive, The Howard League for Penal Reform Hank Rossi, campaigner and activist Simon Hattenstone, Journalist, The Guardian Richard Garside, Director of Centre for Crime and Justice Studies Elizabeth Davies, National Chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards Lorna Hackett, Barrister at Hackett and Dabbs LLP and a tenant at Millennium Chambers Alexander Horne, Barrister and visiting Professor at Durham University Voices in Archive: Edward Argar MP, Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation Sir Bob Neil MP, Chair of the Justice Select Committee Kevin Brennan MP, Shadow Minister for Victims and Sentencing John Mcdonnell MP Dr Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The IPP sentence has created a sense of hopelessness amongst prisoners, leading to poor mental health, self-harm and numerous suicides, so we are ending this series by asking ‘what does hope look like’ for IPP serving prisoners? Sam asks this question to some of the many people who are campaigning to bring an end to this grievous injustice: including Andrea Coomber, from the Howard League for Penal Reform; Richard Garside from the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies; Simon Hattenstone from the Guardian and Elisabeth Davies from the Independent Monitoring Boards. We also hear from Frank, an IPP serving prisoner, who has been inside for 15 years and counting, on a two-and-a-half-year tariff. Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP ww.ippcommitteeinaction.com / X @ActionIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Frank, IPP serving prisoner Lord David Blunkett Andrea Coomber, Chief Executive, The Howard League for Penal Reform Hank Rossi, campaigner and activist Simon Hattenstone, Journalist, The Guardian Richard Garside, Director of Centre for Crime and Justice Studies Elizabeth Davies, National Chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards Lorna Hackett, Barrister at Hackett and Dabbs LLP and a tenant at Millennium Chambers Alexander Horne, Barrister and visiting Professor at Durham University Voices in Archive: Edward Argar MP, Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation Sir Bob Neil MP, Chair of the Justice Select Committee Kevin Brennan MP, Shadow Minister for Victims and Sentencing John Mcdonnell MP Dr Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicole, Madison and Matthew Price's stories. Nicole and Madison both served Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences. Now out on licence, Sam meets these two women in Parliament, whilst trying to lobby their MPs. She hears about life inside female prisons and how they are both doing now. As of December 2022, there were 40 women in custody serving IPP sentences. Sam also talks to Emma McClure and Andrew Sperling, criminal lawyers who represented Matthew Price, who was on licence when he took his own life in May 2023. They describe the terror that Matthew faced knowing he could be recalled back to prison at any time. It's situation that is not unique for IPP serving prisoners on licence: to date, 19 people serving IPP sentences in the community have taken their own lives since 2020. Read Matthew Price’s 'cry for help' email here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wgAUyjdjdr9j8gO5NWphtrno6eoI65OX/view?usp=sharing Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info on the campaign for justice for IPPs: visit UNGRIPP: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP and IPP Committee in Action www.ippcommitteeinaction.com / @ActionIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Madison, IPP prisoner on licence Nicole, IPP prisoner on licence Emma McClure, Consultant Solicitor with SL5 Legal @Parole_Lawyer@mastadon.world Andrew Sperling, Solicitor-Advocate and Managing Director of SL5 Legal www.SL5Legal.co.uk / @AndrewSperling Production credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's life like for IPP prisoners on licence? Mark Conway and Andrew Morris both describe it as ‘walking on eggshells’. Mark Conway intervened in the terror attack at London Bridge in 2019, tackling Usman Khan who was subsequently shot dead by armed police. Mark's first call was to his parole officer because he was worried he might get recalled to prison for breaching his licence conditions. Andrew Morris says he is frustrated at the lack of will to end the needless deaths of IPPs, one being his friend ‘Danny’ whose death Andrew describes as "inexcusable and unforgivable." Both Mark and Andrew say they are some of the 'lucky ones' as they have survived a sentence which has broken so many others. Sam also speaks to criminologist Sophie Ellis about the prisoner / psychologist relationship and her complicated feelings about having been part of administering the IPP sentence. Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Mark Conway, IPP prisoner on licence Andrew Morris, IPP prisoner on licence Sophie Ellis, Criminologist and Ph.D. researcher at Cambridge University @Psych_SEllis Lord Daniel Moylan @danielmgmoylan Voices in Archive: Alex Chalk KC MP Sir Bob Neill MP ABC News - Citizens take down terrorist on London Bridge Credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi A Zinc Media Production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How IH fought and won the legal appeal against his DPP sentence. IH is one of the few people who has successfully appealed against his DPP sentence. DPP stands for ‘Detention for Public Protection’, it works just like IPPs, but it was given to people who were under the age of 18 at the time of their conviction. IH served a DPP sentence for 16 years before he won his appeal. He was represented by Farrhat Arshad at Doughty Street Chambers. Today Sam meets IH and Farrhat to talk about fighting and winning his appeal, and the growing impediments that prison lawyers are facing in doing this kind of work. Meanwhile, following an initiative run by IPP campaigners to gain support for their cause from the UN, in September 2023 Dr Alice Edwards, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, released a statement saying she had written to the UK government condemning the IPP sentence, saying "for many, these sentences have become cruel, inhuman and degrading." With rising awareness about this miscarriage of justice, pressure continues to grow on the government to take further action on IPPs. Get in touch with the Trapped team on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about the campaign for IPP justice, visit: www.ungripp.com | @UNGRIPP Contributors in order of appearance: 'IH', former DPP Prisoner Lord Daniel Moylan, Conservative Peer @danielmoylan.com Farrhat Arshad, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers | @DoughtyStCrime | https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/farrhat-arshad Production Team: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi Artwork: The Brightside A Zinc Media production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bernadette and Abdulahi's story, plus Sam explores mental health treatment for IPPs and the now controversial Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway. Sam travels to Cardiff to meet Bernadette, whose husband Abdulahi received an IPP sentence in 2005. His original tariff was two years and he has been recalled back to prison four times. Abdulahi was born in Somalia and moved to the UK as a child. He is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his mental health has deteriorated since being in prison and because of the anxiety-inducing uncertainty of his IPP sentence. Sam also gets a call from an IPP serving prisoner we are calling Mitch. He was released in 2018 after 11 years and was recalled back to prison the same year for breaching licence conditions. We also hear from James Daly MP, prison and parole solicitor, Dean Kingham and Senior Lecturer in law at the University of York, Ailbe O’Louhglin, who explains the history of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway, which is now considered controversial amongst many psychologists and psychiatrists. Get in touch with the team on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about the campaign to end IPP sentences visit UNGRIPP: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Bernadette Emmerson, wife of Abdulahi, an IPP serving prisoner 'Mitch', IPP serving prisoner James Daly MP Dean Kingham, Prison and Parole Solicitor Graham Towl, Professor of forensic psychology at Durham University Ailbe O’Louhglin, Senior Lecturer in law at the University of York Dr Jo Shingler, Forensic Psychologist Shirley Debono, IPP Committee in Action Voices in Archive: Alex Chalk KC MP Credits: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi Artwork: The Brightside A Zinc Media production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donna and Tommy’s story and why so many IPP serving prisoners have taken their own lives. Tommy Nicol was serving an IPP sentence for robbery and when his tariff expired and he still wasn’t released from prison, he took his own life. Tommy is just one of many: the total number of IPP serving prisoners who had taken their own lives by the end of 2022 was 81. Today Sam investigates the human stories behind these stark statistics. Sam visits the ‘SoulsINQUEST’ exhibition in Brixton’s 198 Gallery to speak to INQUEST’s Director, Deborah Coles and look at their exhibition highlighting state violence, death, grief and resistance. It includes a tribute to Tommy, written by his sister Donna Mooney, and a photograph of a bike which signifies ‘the wheel of pain’. After Tommy's death, Donna became involved in setting up the campaigning organisation UNGRIPP, the ‘United Group for the Reform of IPPs'. Sam also meets Sir Bob Neil to talk about the evidence gathered by the Justice Select Committee’s IPP report on self-harm and suicide. And we hear Labour’s John McDonnell raise the issue in parliament: they both highlight how IPP sentences create a sense of hopelessness, pushing many serving them over the edge. Lord David Blunkett, the architect of the IPP sentence, is posed a hard-hitting question by a former IPP prisoner. This episode is dedicated to the memory of the men and women who have taken their own lives whilst serving IPP sentences. Get in touch on Twitter, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP For more information about INQUEST visit: www.inquest.org.uk / @INQUEST_ORG Contributors in order of appearance: Donna Mooney, IPP campaigner and sister of Tommy Nicol Deborah Coles, Director of Inquest @DebatINQUEST Sir Bob Neil MP @neill_bob Graham Towl @ProfGrahamTowl Lord David Blunkett @LordBlunkett Voices in archive: John McDonnell MP Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roddy and Robert Russell’s story, plus Sam explores why IPP serving prisoners are finding it so hard to get released by the parole board. Roddy Russell first found out what an IPP sentence was in 2011 when his brother, Robert didn't come home after serving 2-and-a-half-year tariff for a threat to kill. The brothers grew up in the Forest of Dean – and Roddy left as soon as he was old enough for a career in the RAF, whilst Robert went down a different path and has been in prison for the last 14 years, serving an indefinite imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence. Today Roddy travels back to the Forest of Dean to meet Robert's friends and former co-workers as he takes on his latest battle to help get his brother released. To understand why IPPs are finding it so hard to get released by the parole board, Sam meets the lawyer Andrew Sperling and former prison officer Sam Samworth. Samworth, who explains what prison life is like for people serving IPP sentences and how vulnerable they are. Hank Rossi of the Institute of Now and Richard Garside, Director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, discuss the barriers that prisoners face when approaching a parole review. It’s a Catch-22 says Garside, the problems IPPs face get reproduced over time with no obvious way out. Finally, Sam and Hank travel to Bristol to meet Stafford Lightman, a Professor of Medicine. He describes how the brain responds to stress and how indefinite detention exacerbates its effects for both IPP prisoners and their family members. Get in touch on Twitter, Tik Tok or Instagram @Trapped_Pod Listen to our BBC Radio 4 doc, featuring Roddy and Robert on the IPP sentence: 'Tapped in the System' here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001l267 Contributors in order of appearance: Roddy Russell, IPP campaigner and brother of IPP serving prisoner, Robert @1roddyRussell Andrew Sperling, Lawyer and parole specialist, director of SL5 Legal. @AndrewSperling Graham Towl, Professor of forensic psychology at Durham University, former Chief Psychologist at the Ministry of Justice @ProfGrahamTowl Bryn Williams, former employer of Robert Russell Hank Rossi, The Institute of Now Andrew Mapps, friend of Robert Russell Nick Ballard, friend of Robert Russell Dan Nelmes, friend of Robert Russell Sam Samworth, former prison officer and Author @NeilSamworth Clara White, sister of IPP serving prisoner Thomas White Richard Garside, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies @RichardJGarside Stafford Lightman, Professor of Medicine, University of Bristol Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi Artwork: Brightside A Zinc Media Production for The Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shirley and Shaun’s story, plus Sam digs into the history of the IPP sentence, what has made it such a failure? Shirley Debono has been campaigning against IPPs (Imprisonment for Public Protection) for many years. Her son Shaun Lloyd received an IPP sentence in 2005 for a street robbery of a mobile phone. He is one of the first people to receive an indeterminate IPP sentence and he’s been trapped in a cycle of recalls to prison ever since. We join Shirley as she travels to the HQ of the parole board in London to try and confront the CEO, Martin Jones, about delays to her son’s parole review. To understand where IPPs came from, Sam digs into the history of the sentence, which came into existence in 2005. She meets its architect, Lord David Blunkett. He regrets introducing the IPP sentence under New Labour’s conviction to be ‘tough on crime’ and he now campaigns against it. Sam also meets the Conservative Peer, Lord Ken Clark who abolished the sentence in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving thousands still trapped in prison. Lord Blunkett blames judges for misapplying this legislation, so Sam seeks out a response from two former judges, Nick Cooke and Lord Simon Brown, a former Supreme Court judge, who has become an icon in the fight for IPP justice. Get in touch on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about the Campaign for Justice for IPPs prisoners: UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ Twitter @UNGRIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Shirley Debono, mother of Shaun Lloyd and IPP campaigner Lord David Blunkett, Labour Peer Harry Annison, Criminologist, Southampton Law School Lord Ken Clark, Conservative Peer. Nick Cooke, retired Judge (The Late) Lord Simon Brown, Former Law Lord and Justice of the Supreme Court 2009 - 2012 Milo Boyd, Journalist Richard Garside, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies @CrimeandJustice Voices in Archive: Sir Tony Blair Production Team: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi Artwork: Brightside A Zinc Media Production for The Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam reports on Aaron and Cherrie’s story and the ‘Kafkaesque maze’ of the offending behaviour programmes. Aaron Graham is the longest straight serving IPP prisoner. He's has been in prison for nineteen years without parole on a two-and-a-half-year tariff, and he still doesn’t know when he’s getting out. Aaron’s sister Cherrie Nichol has been campaigning for Aaron and others like him serving the IPP sentence. Sam also digs into the offending behaviour programs, an integral part of the justice system and proving your reduced risk to the parole board as an IPP serving prisoner. She finds that these courses are hard to access in many prisons. Sometimes IPP prisoners do the courses multiple times, and the parole board still doesn't grant release, leaving these prisoners in what’s been described as ‘a Kafkaesque maze’. Meanwhile in Westminster, it’s now June 2023 and the new Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk remains non-committal on resentencing the 2,916 prisoners still serving the IPP sentence, but he has also left the door open for further action. Whilst the politicking continues in Parliament, the prisoners and their families remain in limbo. Get in touch on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about the Campaign for Justice for IPPs prisoners: UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ Twitter @UNGRIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Aaron Graham, IPP serving prisoner Cherrie Nichol, sister of Aaron Graham and IPP campaigner. Dr. Jo Shingler, forensic psychologist Mark Day, Prison Reform Trust @PRTuk Dean Kingham, prison and parole solicitor Harry Annison, criminologist Voices in archive: Lord Daniel Moylan Sir Bob Neill John McDonnell MP Alex Chalk KC MP Joe Outlaw, IPP serving prisoner Production Team: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi Artwork: Brightside A Zinc Media Production for The Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Get in touch on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram @Trapped_Pod For more info about the Campaign for Justice for IPPs prisoners: UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ Twitter @UNGRIPP 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 Blunkett, Labour peer Lord 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 A Zinc Media Production for The Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast series charting the UK #IPP prisoner scandal. Listen on #Acast #ApplePodcasts #Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Today there are nearly 3,000 people trapped in British prisons on the now abolished indeterminate IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection) sentence, many for minor crimes like stealing a mobile phone. None of them know when they are getting out, or whether their IPP sentence could mean life in prison. To date, 87 IPP serving prisoners, with a lack of certainty and losing hope, have taken their own lives. The IPP has been called a ‘stain on the British justice system’ and ‘psychological torture’. But most people have never heard of it… In this ‘tragically brilliant’ and hard hitting 10-part podcast series, the investigative reporter Sam Asumadu is digging deep into the plight of prisoners serving IPPs, and their families, to find out what has gone wrong with this sentence and shine a light into the dark corners of the IPP story. Featuring contributions from prisoners serving IPP sentences, their families, campaigners, criminologists, psychologists, journalists, lawyers, retired judges, MPs and Peers. Get in touch on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram @Trapped_pod If you want to do something, you can tell a friend to listen to this series. Knowledge is power and the more who know, the harder it is for injustice to take place. If you want to do something more active, you can write to your MP - and tell them to raise questions about prisoners serving IPPs in parliament. Some campaigners have started a petition hosted on the UK government website. Search the hashtag #JusticeForIPPs on social media for more info and the link. For more information about the Campaign for IPP Justice: Contact UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ or on Twitter @UNGRIPP Contributors in order of appearance: Thomas White, IPP serving prisoner. Jo Shingler, Forensic Psychologist @ShinglerJo Alana Bell, Sister of Wayne Bell, IPP serving prisoner. Mark Day, Prison Reform Trust @PRTuk Production Team: Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS Consultant: Hank Rossi Artwork: Brightside Listen to our BBC Radio 4 doc on the IPP Sentence: 'Tapped in the System' here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001l267 A Zinc Media production for the Institute of Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.