Inside Barlinnie - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
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.
Escape
Due to severe overcrowding, the services in Barlinnie are stretched to the limit. Across Scotland, 2,500 referrals are made per year for drug and alcohol treatment. HMP Barlinnie, like all other prisons, is a hotspot for drug use, and the proliferation of spice causes huge unpredictability in the inmates.
The recovery teams help provide psychological support for the inmates, but they are fighting against a vicious cycle. A midnight drone flies drugs directly into a cell, and inmate Jamie relapses with the temptation of illegal drugs. Darren calls in the chaplain to help him with self-harm attempts and suicide.
Throw Away the Keys?
One of the main aims in prison today is the rehabilitation of prisoners. In Barlinnie, many prisoners are locked up for 23 hours a day - one way out is to get a job. Prison jobs provide learnt skills and behaviours, but these jobs are not easy to come by. Prisoners can earn promotions as they become trusted in the workplaces.
Two prisoners, Robert and John, have their release dates in sight and are working towards life on the outside. Albanian drug dealer Robert is fighting deportation while desperately hoping to be returned to his son. Violent offender John searches for a new start to try and beat his alcohol addiction.
The programme includes an eye-opening interview with one of Scotland's most notorious gangsters, Jimmy Boyle.
Recently Updated Shows
Invasion
Earth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity's existence. Events unfold in real time through the eyes of five ordinary people across the globe as they struggle to make sense of the chaos unraveling around them.
Peacemaker
This James Gunn-created series continues the saga of Peacemaker, a vainglorious superhero/supervillain who believes in peace at any cost — no matter how many people he has to kill. After a miraculous recovery from his duel with Bloodsport, Peacemaker soon discovers that his freedom comes at a price.
48 Hours
48 Hours is a CBS news magazine that investigates intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all aspects of the human experience. Over its long run, the show has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, driven the reopening -- and resolution -- of cold cases, and changed numerous lives. CBS News correspondents offer an in-depth look into each story, with the emphasis on solving the mystery at its heart. The program and its team have earned critical acclaim, including 20 Emmys and three Peabody Awards.
Wednesday
Smart, sarcastic and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams investigates a murder spree while making new friends — and foes — at Nevermore Academy.
Shifting Gears
Shifting Gears centers on Matt, a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt's estranged daughter and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins.