Theresa and Josh’s story.

Today we hear from Theresa, whose son Josh has been serving an IPP sentence since he was 18. Josh was sentenced to an IPP in 2008 for GBH, he’s now 34. When Sam meets Theresa in May 2024, Josh is still recovering from his recent set-back with the parole board. Theresa has shared an open letter from Josh in prison, written to alert the outside world of his crisis.

We also catch up with Roddy Russell who was featured in Episode 4: A Catch 22 and who has now had the first visit in 4 ½ years with his brother Robert, who is serving an IPP at HMP Swaleside, Roddy doesn’t recognise his brother at first. Roddy also meets the Right Reverend Rachel Treweek, the Bishop of Gloucester, whose diocese covers the Forest of Dean, where Roddy and Robert grew up. Roddy is keen to raise Robert’s plight with Bishop Rachel as she sits in the House of Lords as the Bishop for Prisons. Bishop Rachel wants to see the end of the historic IPP sentences and she has since met Robert in prison to pray with him.

Despite the welcome amendment to the Victim’s and Prisoners Act 2024, which has shortened the license period for IPP prisoners in the community from 10 to 3 years, for the IPP prisoners like Josh who are trapped inside on this indeterminate sentence, it doesn’t help them at all. Against the background of the prison crisis making headlines, a group of leading campaigners send an open letter to the new Labour Government to act quickly on IPPs. Roddy Russell is amongst those who travel to London to hand-deliver the letter to the Ministry of Justice. We hear from Roddy and his fellow campaigners outside of the MOJ as they reflect on the appointment of James Timpson as Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation. Will he and the Labour Government finally put an end to the IPP scandal? Josh has a message for Timpson and the other politicians: ‘imagine I was your son, please help me. I'm begging you.’

Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram | @Trapped_Pod

Trapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/

For more info about the IPP campaign visit UNGRIPP | www.ungripp.com | @UNGRIPP | IPP Committee In Action @ActionIpp

Contributors in order of appearance:

Theresa, mother of IPP serving prisoner Josh Mcrae

Roddy Russell, brother of IPP serving prisoner Robert Russell

The Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester and Anglican Bishop for HM Prisons

Marc Conway, IPP prisoner on license

Andrew Morris, IPP prisoner on license

Richard Garside, The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies

Voices in Archive:

James Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation

Credits:

Reporter: Samantha Asumadu | @SamanthaAsumadu

Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald | @Melissafitzg

Producer: Steve Langridge | @SMLANGERS

Consultant: Hank Rossi

An Ear Worm Production for the Institute of Now

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode is an exclusive interview with Martin Jones CBE, who was appointed His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation in March 2024. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive of the Parole Board from 2015.

Sam meets Martin Jones at the MOJ building, 102 Petty France, Westminster in July 2024 to discuss the IPP scandal in the shadow of the looming prisons crisis. It had been a big week for criminal justice: the new Justice Minister, Shabana Mahmood had just announced she was dealing with the crisis by allowing the early release of prisoners on standard determinate sentences after serving 40% of their sentences in custody. However, Martin tells Sam that 97% of probation areas are falling short of expectations, an extraordinary figure which starkly highlights a system that is not only in crisis, but has spectacularly failed. Martin’s message to the new government is that they need to invest in an already struggling probation service. The system is broken everywhere and there are no quick fixes. And he says he hopes the new government will “look again” at IPP sentences, which are “hugely costly, hugely burdensome for the system”.

Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram | @Trapped_Pod

Trapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/

For more info about the IPP campaign visit UNGRIPP | www.ungripp.com | @UNGRIPP | And the IPP Committee In Action @ActionIpp

Contributors in order of appearance:

Martin Jones CBE, HM Chief Inspector of Probation | @jones_martinw

Voices in Archive:

Shabana Mahmood, Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor | @ShabanaMahmood

Credits:

Reporter: Samantha Asumadu | @SamanthaAsumadu

Executive Producer: Melissa FitzGerald | @melissafitzg

Producer: Steve Langridge | @SMLANGERS

Consultant: Hank Rossi

An Ear Worm Production for the Institute of Now

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob and Sara’s story. Sam investigates the impact of recall on IPP prisoners in the community. Change is finally coming - how will it affect them?

Rob was given an IPP sentence in 2008 and he’s been recalled back to prison 4 times since then. His partner Sara is a campaigner with UNGRIPP, The United Group for Reform of IPP: they met through the work she was doing. Sam meets them in Manchester in May 2024, just as the Victim’s and Prisoner’s Bill is making its way towards a conclusion in Parliament. This bill is bringing in significant reforms to the way that IPP prisoner’s licenses work.

The IPP license period will be changed from 10 to 3 years for termination with a sunset clause which means that if the license is not terminated at the direction of the Parole Board after 3 years, it will be automatically terminated after a further two years. This will have a direct impact on Rob and other IPP prisoners on license in the community, like him. But behind the headlines are real stories about real people, so Sam is keen to find out how prisoners on license like Rob are coping. She also speaks to the prison lawyers Emma McClure and Andrew Sperling and Dr Alice Edwards the UK Special Rapporteur to get their takes on the recall ‘merry-go-round'.

Get in touch on X, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram @Trapped_Pod

For more info about UNGRIPP visit: www.ungripp.com / @UNGRIPP

Trapped Substack: https://trappedpodcast.substack.com/

Contributors in order of appearance:

Rob Dutton, IPP prisoner on license

Sara Ramsden, Rob’s partner and campaigner

Emma McClure, Prison Law Solicitor

Andrew Sperling, Solicitor Advocate @AndrewSperling

Dr. Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture @DrAliceJEdwards

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.