The Secret Life of Prisons tells the hidden stories from behind bars. Presenter Paula Harriott is Head of Prisoner Engagement for the Prison Reform Trust, having spent time behind bars. Alongside her is Phil Maguire OBE, who has worked in prisons for over 15 years and is the Chief Executive of the Prison Radio Association. Together, they aim to take the bars off prison windows. To shine a light into some of the darkest corners of prisons. The show offers a glimpse into what is, for many, an unseen world. Each episode takes on a theme related to the prison experience a...
Latest episodes
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49 min
Down, Not Out Ep3: What are the solutions to homelessness?
1 in 7 adults in prison were homeless before entering custody, and fewer than half of people released from prison last year had settled accommodation on release. Phil and Paula hav…
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30 min
Down, Not Out Ep2: Do you have to be homeless to be homeless?
1 in 7 adults in prison were homeless before entering custody, and fewer than half of people released from prison last year had settled accommodation on release. Phil and Paula hav…
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32 min
Down, Not Out Ep1: What is the daily reality of homelessness?
1 in 7 adults in prison were homeless before entering custody, and fewer than half of people released from prison last year had settled accommodation on release. Phil and Paula hav…
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53 min
Christmas Special: Lady Unchained *live* at Libreria, December 2022
Phil and Paula introduce a VERY special show for Christmas. Lady Unchained is one of the best-known voices behind bars. She's the host of Free Flow - a weekly show on National Pris…
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20 min
Life After Prison
Phil Magure is joined by Zak and Jules, the hosts of the Prison Radio Association's brand new podcast Life After Prison. If you've been to prison, or if you know someone who has, L…
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46 min
Using video calls to 'do family' across prison walls
The Coronavirus pandemic led to many restrictions to all of our lives. For people in prison the restrictions were particlarly severe. The biggest impact was felt when all social vi…
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1 h 07
The story of Ear Hustle
On 5 October 2015, Nigel Poor, a photographer who worked in San Quentin State Prison in California, and Earlonne Woods, who was serving a long sentence in the same prison, came up…
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1 h 02
How to create your way out of prison
The creative arts in prison aren't just a 'nice-to-have'. For some they can be a passport to freedom and even a lifesaver. Saul Hewish has visited over 100 prisons in his long care…
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47 min
Making Time: Jimmy McGovern
In 2021, the legendary TV screenwriter Jimmy McGovern released a three-part drama called Time on BBC1. People living and working in prisons have almost universally agreed that it's…
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29 min
No Choices Without Chances: George the Poet
George the Poet is a spoken word performer and recording artist. His acclaimed podcast series, Have You Heard George's Podcast?, became the first non-US podcast to win the Peabody…
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57 min
The Secret Life of Lifers: Part 2
How to survive a life sentence We're back in the studio with two people who have been to prison and are now outside living with a 'life licence', to talk about 'hooks for change' a…
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54 min
The Secret Life of Lifers: Part 1
What is it like to receive a life sentence? We're joined by two people who have had this experience - both have been to prison and are now outside living with a 'life licence'. The…
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44 sec
Starts Monday: Series 3 of The Secret Life of Prisons
A brand new series of The Secret Life of Prisons starts Monday. Listen to this sneak preview of some of the voices we'll be hearing through this series, bringing you the real-life…
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22 min
New Year
In our final episode of the year, guests Duewaine and Brenda are back with Phil and Paula to talk about the significance of New Year in prison. They're joined by Marc Conway who, h…
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23 min
Christmas Inside
How does it feel to spend Christmas Day in prison? Phil and Paula talk about the difficulties of being locked up over Christmas and the little things that help with getting through…
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31 min
Future Prison
How should we look after young people inside? Phil and Paula hear from Courtney, who went to prison when she was a teenager. She reveals the emotional trauma of being locked up and…
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32 min
On Hold
In this episode, Paula and Phil talk about the importance of the telephone in prison, and what better way to do that than to call up a few friends of the podcast? Peter Yarwood, Ch…
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29 min
Two Peas in a Pad
Can you make lasting friendships in prison? In episode two of our new series, Phil and Paula talk about the ups and the downs of making friends inside. They're joined by guests Rob…
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44 min
Letters to Myself
We're back with a new series of the Secret Life of Prisons podcast. In this first episode, presenters Phil Maguire and Paula Harriott reunite to talk about the power of writing - b…
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53 min
A sneak listen to National Prison Radio
The Prison Radio Association is the charity that produces this podcast. Our day job is running National Prison Radio, which is the world's first national radio station for people i…