Podcast series charting the #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 multi-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 to 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 X, TikTok and Instagram @Trapped_pod
Trapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/
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.
Search the hashtag #IPPScandal on social media for more info.
For more information about the Campaign for IPP Justice: visit UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ | @UNGRIPP and IPP Committee in Action www.ippcommitteeinaction.com/ | @ActionIpp
Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu
Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg
Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS
Consultant: Hank Rossi
A Zinc Media Group / Ear Worm Production for The Institute of Now
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast series charting the #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 multi-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 to 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 X, TikTok and Instagram @Trapped_pod
Trapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/
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.
Search the hashtag #IPPScandal on social media for more info.
For more information about the Campaign for IPP Justice: visit UNGRIPP www.ungripp.com/ | @UNGRIPP and IPP Committee in Action www.ippcommitteeinaction.com/ | @ActionIpp
Reporter: Samantha Asumadu @SamanthaAsumadu
Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitzg
Producer: Steve Langridge @SMLANGERS
Consultant: Hank Rossi
A Zinc Media Group / Ear Worm Production for The Institute of Now
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mary and Martin Myer’s story. We also hear from two people who head up their unions, working with IPP prisoners on the front line: the prison officers and prisoner governors.
Martin Myers comes from an Irish Traveller family. They’re a minority group in the UK, often discriminated against. On the 8th March 2006, Martin was given an IPP sentence with a tariff of 19 months and 27 days. Apart from one stint of freedom for 10 weeks towards the end of 2023, he’s been locked away in prison. Today Sam meets Mary, Martin’s mother, to hear their story.
In 2006 Martin received his IPP sentence after he approached a young man in Luton, where he lived, and asked him for a cigarette. The man made a derogatory comment about travellers. Martin threatened to punch the young man if he didn’t give him the cigarette, the man ran away and reported Martin Myers to the police, saying he was carrying a small ‘spud’ knife.
Sam also meets Mark Fairhurst, National chair of the Prison Officers Association and Tom Wheatley, the newly appointed President of the Prison Governors Association. They discuss the underfunded and under-resourced prison system, prison conditions, mental health provisions for IPP prisoners and the aftermath of self-inflicted deaths. They both have strong words for the government with the general election on the horizon. Finally she hears how the campaign continues to fight for resentencing IPP prisoners, as Richard Garside from the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies explains.
Please be advised that this episode contains references to self-harm and suicide.
Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod
For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP
Thanks to The Howard League for Penal Reform @TheHowardLeague
Contributors in order of appearance:
Mary Myers, Mother of serving IPP prisoner Martin Myers
Ann McMaster, friend and support worker to Mary Myers
Mark Fairhurst, National chair of the Prison Officers Association
Tom Wheatley, President of the Prison Governors Association | @PGA_Prisons
Richard Garside, Director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies | @richardjgarside
Voices in Archive:
Sir Bob Neil, former chair of the Justice Select Committee | @neill_bob
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.
