Inside the World's Toughest Prisons 2016
- Status
- Returning Series
- First Aired
- April 20, 2016
- Last Aired
- September 15, 2023
- Format
- 7 seasons · 27 eps
- Total Runtime
- ~19.8 hours (44 min/ep)
- Highest Rated Episode
- S5E1 "South Africa: The Number Gangs Prison" (★ 10/10)
- Networks
- 5, Netflix
- Where to Stream
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
What is Inside the World's Toughest Prisons?
Topic: Television series "Inside the World's Toughest Prisons" (2016). Role: Meticulous television and film archivist.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 2016
- Status
- Returning Series
- Episodes
- 27
- Runtime
- 44 minutes
- First aired
- Apr 20, 2016
- Last aired
- Sep 15, 2023
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Networks
- 5, Netflix
- Genres
- Crime, Documentary
- Updated
At a glance
- Rating
- ★ TMDB users: 7.0/10 from 77 votes
- Format
- 7 seasons · 27 episodes
- Episode runtime
- ~44 minutes
- Status
- Returning Series
- Networks
- 5, Netflix
Where to watch in United States
Stream
Netflix
Netflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixStream
NetflixStream
NetflixStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStream
NetflixNetflix Standard with AdsStreaming availability data provided by JustWatch via TMDB. Availability changes by country and date; verify on the provider before subscribing or purchasing.
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 27 episodes and an average 44-minute runtime.
Trailer
Overview
Topic: Television series "Inside the World's Toughest Prisons" (2016).
Role: Meticulous television and film archivist.
Constraints:
Write ONLY verifiable facts from provided SYNOPSIS and SOURCES.
No inventing/guessing (titles, names, dates, etc.).
Original, neutral, encyclopedic prose.
Plain text only (no markdown, no asterisks, no headings, no bullet points).
Length: 150-190 words.
First sentence must not contain spoilers.
No markdown.
Title: Inside the World's Toughest Prisons.
Year: 2016.
Genre: Crime and Documentary.
Rating: TV-MA.
Host (Season 1): Paul Connolly (Irish journalist).
Original Network (Season 1): Channel 5.
Host (Season 2 onwards): Raphael Rowe (UK journalist).
Platform (Season 2 onwards): Netflix.
Premise: Raphael Rowe goes behind bars of notorious/tough prisons. He immerses himself in maximum security facilities to live as a prisoner. He encounters inmates and meets the men and women tasked with keeping criminals behind bars.
Raphael Rowe detail: He served 12 years in prison.
Draft 1:
Inside the World's Toughest Prisons is a crime and documentary television series that premiered in 2016. The series is rated TV-MA. During the first season, the program was hosted by Irish journalist
Should you watch it?
“A journalist immerses himself in the world's most dangerous prisons to experience life behind bars.”
- First-hand perspective from a host who has personal experience with the justice system.
- Unfiltered access to maximum security facilities and the daily lives of inmates.
- Insight into the professional challenges faced by prison staff in diverse international environments.
- The intense and often grim subject matter may be difficult to watch for some viewers.
Watch it if you are interested in the realities of global penal systems and investigative crime reporting.
The series maintains a serious, documentary-style tone with a steady, immersive pace suitable for mature audiences.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Inside the World's Toughest Prisons — answers are spoiler-safe.
Your verdict
Is Inside the World's Toughest Prisons worth watching?
Cast
Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 4 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Honduras Mytharc Apr 20, 2016
- E2 Poland Core Apr 27, 2016
- E3 Mexico Core Mar 3, 2016
- E4 Philippines Mytharc May 4, 2016
Season 2 · 4 episodes
Open the complete Season 2 guide & lore primer →- E1 Brazil: The Gang Prison Mytharc Jul 6, 2018
- E2 Ukraine: The Prison in a War Zone Core Jul 6, 2018
- E3 Papua New Guinea: The Breakout Prison Core Jul 6, 2018
- E4 Belize: The Prison That Found God Mytharc Jul 6, 2018
Season 3 · 4 episodes
Open the complete Season 3 guide & lore primer →- E1 Costa Rica: Prison on a Knife-Edge Mytharc Dec 14, 2018
- E2 Colombia: Narco Prison Core Dec 14, 2018
- E3 Romania: Gypsy Prison Core Dec 14, 2018
- E4 Norway: The Perfect Prison? Mytharc Dec 14, 2018
Season 4 · 4 episodes
Open the complete Season 4 guide & lore primer →- E1 Paraguay: The Most Dangerous Prison on Earth Mytharc Jul 29, 2020
- E2 Germany: The Therapy Prison Core Jul 29, 2020
- E3 Mauritius: The Extreme Punishment Prison Core Jul 29, 2020
- E4 Lesotho: Confronting Sexual Violence Mytharc Jul 29, 2020
Season 5 · 3 episodes
Open the complete Season 5 guide & lore primer →- E1 South Africa: The Number Gangs Prison Mytharc Jan 8, 2021
- E2 Philippines: The War on Drugs Prison Core Jan 8, 2021
- E3 Greenland: Prison in the Ice Mytharc Jan 8, 2021
Season 6 · 4 episodes
Open the complete Season 6 guide & lore primer →- E1 Moldova: The Lifers Prison Mytharc Sep 28, 2022
- E2 Cyprus: The Utopian Prison Core Sep 28, 2022
- E3 Bosnia: The Mafia Prison Core Sep 28, 2022
- E4 Greece: The People Smugglers Prison Mytharc Sep 28, 2022
Season 7 · 4 episodes
Open the complete Season 7 guide & lore primer →- E1 Finland: The Free Choice Prison Mytharc Sep 15, 2023
- E2 Czech Republic: The Crystal Meth Prison Core Sep 15, 2023
- E3 Indonesia: The re-programming drug prison Core Sep 15, 2023
- E4 Solomon Islands: God’s Own Prison Mytharc Sep 15, 2023
Frequently asked questions
Where can I stream this series?
The series is available to stream on Netflix.
Is this show worth watching?
It is recommended for viewers interested in crime documentaries and the sociological study of prison systems.
How long does it take to binge?
The series consists of multiple seasons, and the total duration depends on the number of episodes released to date.
Are there essential episodes to watch?
As the series functions as an anthology of different prison systems, every episode offers a unique look at a specific facility.
✓ Renewed / Returning Renewal tracker
Explore Inside the World's Toughest Prisons
Where to watch Episode ratings heatmap How long to watch Facts & FAQ Similar shows Take the quiz More from 5More from Netflix
What viewers say
No comments yet. Be the first to share your take on Inside the World's Toughest Prisons.