In the third and final instalment of Britain Behind Bars: A Secret History, Rob Rinder turns his attention to Shepton Mallet prison in Somerset, one of the country’s oldest correctional facilities. This episode looks at the history of the prison and the lives of its inmates, many of whom were serving short sentences for minor offences.
Shepton Mallet has a long and intriguing history, and Rinder explores the impact of incarceration on those within its walls. He discovers that some of Britain’s most notorious gangsters, the Kray twins, were once held within this very prison.
Rinder investigates the conditions and treatment of prisoners over the centuries and examines the impact of short sentences. Were they effective in rehabilitating inmates and reducing reoffending rates?
Britain Behind Bars: A Secret History, Episode 3, airs on Channel 4, Sunday, 4 August 2024, at 9:00 pm.
