Us and Them

After 142 years, HMP Barlinnie is closing its doors. The prison is Scotland's largest jail and houses over 1,400 inmates in five gigantic Victorian halls. The most infamous jail in Scotland, Barlinnie has built up a fearsome reputation for violence and drug-taking over its 140-year history. On the verge of a new super jail, this series explores the prison's recent past, and how it has shaped the approach to modern jails and rehabilitation in Scotland. It shows the lives of current prisoners and staff, as well as delving into a dark history of hangings, riots and escapes that have shaped the prison for over a century.

HMP Barlinnie is at 140 per cent capacity, housing 1,400 inmates for a variety of crimes. It has a deeply contested legacy in Glasgow's history. The 1980s saw a mass riot and hostage situation which forced the prison to change for good. While the violence in the prison has reduced drastically since then, there are still incidents to contend with as inmate Kieran deals with the aftermath of assaulting a prison officer and his cellmate.