The Prison Problem

What are the policies and political decisions which led to the current crisis in prisons?Prison life isn't meant to be easy but it is supposed to be safe and secure. Drugs, violence, self-harm and suicide are all increasing problems.David Aaronovitch examines what's gone wrong and hears stories from inside the prison system. He explores what over-crowding and under-staffing means for prisoners and officers alike who live with it day in, day out.The programme also looks beyond the budget and staff cuts to explore the impact of sentencing changes, institutional leadership, and political opposition to more liberal policies which might ease the pressure in an overcrowded system. And we also discuss the current impact of drugs in prison and ask what role corrupt prison staff might play in the smuggling of contraband.What would it take to bring prisons under control and longer term, how can we stop the next prison crisis and get the system working properly again? CONTRIBUTORSCharles - a former inmate at a London prison, now working with the rehabilitation and education charity Key4LifeJohn Podmore - former Governor of HMP Brixton and HMP Belmarsh; author of Out of Sight Out of Mind: Why Britain's Prisons Are FailingHelen Arnold - Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Suffolk and Visiting Scholar at the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge UniversityJulian McCrae - Deputy Director of the Institute for Government and former Deputy Director of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (2009)Producer: Matt Bardo Research: Kirsteen Knight & Beth Sagar-Fenton

Om Podcasten

Step inside The Briefing Room for indepth explainers on the biggest news stories. A podcast and radio show hosted by Journalist and Author David Aaronovitch.Listen anytime: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b07cblx9. **THE BRIEFING ROOM**Alongside a panel of academics, policy experts and journalists, each week we break down the essentials of the biggest news stories, in the United Kingdom and beyond. From international politics, healthcare, and technology; to the economy, education, and immigration. At the end of 2024 The Briefing Room covered the following topics: - What’s going on in Syria? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025l2l - Will new weight loss drugs bankrupt the NHS? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025vw7 - Is the push for the electric cars in trouble? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002693mOur promise to you each week: If you step inside The Briefing Room, you'll be fully briefed on the biggest stories in the news.**SPECIAL EPISODES**As well as our weekly episodes, The Briefing Room has also recorded several mini-series that you can listen to anytime:- Global Tensions: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0kh4p9s - Health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0kh4nwt**HOW TO LISTEN**New episodes are published every Thursday and are usually around 30 minutes long. Listen anytime here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b07cblx9. Catch us every Thursday and Monday on BBC Radio 4. Have a look at the latest BBC Radio 4 schedule for timings: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/schedules/bbc_radio_fourfm. Also, you can now listen to us on a smart speaker. Just say, "Ask BBC Sounds to play The Briefing Room" for the latest episode. It works on most smart speakers.**GET IN TOUCH**We'd also love to hear from you. If you have a question or a comment for the team, please email us anytime at briefingroom@bbc.co.uk.