Dr Tania Rodrigues and Natalie Miller join Dr Marianne Trent to discuss what happens when someone leaves prison, why the first 48 hours after release are the most dangerous, and how homelessness, trauma, institutionalisation and lack of support contribute to reoffending. We explore real experiences of people leaving custody, the emotional toll on staff, the challenges with probation and GP registration, and why short sentences often cause more harm than good. This episode offers a clear, compassionate look at life after prison and is particularly useful for aspiring psychologists, forensic practitioners and anyone interested in rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. #prisonreform #traumainformed #prisonrelease

Highlights

• 00:00 - Setting the scene and the reality of post release homelessness
• 01:06 - Introducing Dr Tania Rodrigues and Natalie Miller
• 02:12 - Why people rarely enter prison from stability
• 03:08 - The gap between internal progress and external life circumstances
• 04:13 - Who actually picks up the pieces when someone hey baby, just leaves now, loves lots, x x custody
• 05:40 - The fallacy of believing release is a linear journey
• 07:30 - Short sentences, women in custody, and family breakdown
• 08:25 - Lack of time to build trust and its impact on psychological work
• 10:23 - Why every prison session may be the only session
• 12:27 - Prison is often too unsafe for trauma focused therapy
• 14:22 - Staff anxiety and helplessness when people are suddenly released
• 16:06 - The contradiction between punishment buildings and rehabilitation goals
• 18:18 - Housing, instability and the struggle to register with a GP
• 19:37 - How losing homes, jobs and family ties worsens outcomes
• 21:17 - Imagining the fear and uncertainty of having nowhere safe to go
• 22:35 - Staff emotional experiences and the weight of safeguarding
• 26:37 - Public perceptions of prisoners and the reality of low level offences
• 29:04 - Institutionalisation, safety and why some people reoffend to return
• 32:38 - Unstructured freedom and the overwhelm of sudden autonomy
• 35:44 - How tiny things like controlling a light become enormous
• 36:29 - The importance of trauma informed practise across all justice roles
• 39:40 - Why prisons reflect societal failings rather than ‘bad people’
• 41:22 - Stigma, inequality and the real barriers facing prison leavers
• 44:27 - Final reflections on compassion, accountability and community safetyLinks:

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