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 visits were halted for many months, meaning people serving custodial sentences weren't able to see their families, friends and loved-ones in person.

In response, the Prison Service introduced video calls.

In this special episode, presenters Paula Harriott and Phil Maguire get the inside track on how this roll-out happened, what the impact was and what the future may hold for video call technology in prison.

They're joined by:

Dr Anna Kotova - Lecturer in Criminology at the School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham;

Tracy O'Donnell - host of the Family and Friends Request Show on National Prison Radio, and mother of two sons in prison;

Tim Lloyd - Head of Family Services at HM Prison and Probation Service.

They also hear from Stephen, who was in prison during the height of the lockdown and describes how those calls worked from inside prison.

Thanks to the Sir Halley Stewart Trust for funding the research.

This episode was recorded in April 2022.