Banged up August 2008 for the Term ‘Banged REFORM Up’ in the Previous Three Months

and by humanising both the young The media and reform: offenders and their adult mentors. Using LexisNexis, a search was made of UK newspapers on 14 the case of Banged Up August 2008 for the term ‘banged REFORM up’ in the previous three months. David Wilson discusses the reform potential This yielded 42 stories over 24 newspapers in which the programme of popular media, focusing on the TV series was mentioned. This mention might PENAL Banged Up. have been as brief as the programme being cited as evidence of Channel 5’s commitment to new programmes to over 2,000 words of interview

ORING with David Blunkett. n my previous writing I have prisoner’s story and measuring their As might be expected the suggested that popular, progress within the series. The Rt majority of mentions were in TV EXPL Imainstream TV and fi lms about Hon David Blunkett MP, the former previews (20) and reviews (8) and prisons can serve a penal reform Home Secretary (2001-2004) was clearly the majority of other articles/ function through, for example, recruited to chair the parole board profiles had been sparked by the helping to set standards of decency hearings. Throughout the programme series or publicity for it. The setting for what is and what is not makers not only wanted to entertain of Scarborough’s former jail ensured acceptable practice in prison, and viewers with this piece of ‘reality some coverage by local papers (four representing prisoners as people in TV’, but also have the young mentions in Scarborough Evening an attempt to counter processes of prisoners experience what prison News) as did the participation of ex- depersonalisation and de- was like in the belief that this could offenders (Birmingham Evening humanisation (Wilson and change their future behaviour. In News), offenders (Liverpool Daily O’Sullivan, 2005). Indeed since fi rst short, the programme was seen as Echo) and prison officers (Western making this argument in 2005, other performing a penal reform function. Mail) from around the country but it criminologists have also begun to As someone involved with the was the use of the former Home argue that ‘public criminology’ making of Banged Up – I advised the Secretary, David Blunkett, as the should be taken seriously and that production company and appeared fi gurehead that created both ‘the texts, audiences and industries in front of camera as the prison’s coverage and criticism, as about half involved in producing popular ‘Governor’ – I concentrate here appeared to concentrate on him. criminology ought to become targets simply on reaction to the series by The Guardian led with eight for academic research’ (Carrabine, way of newspaper reviews and mentions (plus one in The Observer) 2008). discuss viewing fi gures – the with six different writers fi ling These dual arguments provide a ‘audience’- although it should also previews, reviews and a long profile. context for this article which is be noted that some measure of the There was not a ‘party line’ on this concerned with the reality TV series series’ critical success can be and thus Gareth McLean (7 August Banged Up, which was made by the gleaned from the fact that it was 2008) concentrated on Blunkett and independent production company nominated for an RTS Award in the was scathing on the lack of reality: Shine North and was shown on ‘Best Documentary’ category for ‘without the random acts of violence, Channel 5 in the United Kingdom 2008. A more detailed account of rape in the showers and being between 7-28 July 2008. In brief, the the series and the issues that it raises surrounded by people with mental series saw the disused prison in is in preparation with Dr Nic illness. So nothing like prison, then’. Scarborough re-converted into a Groombridge. On the other hand Andrew Mueller functioning jail – with suitably twice made it his ‘pick of the day (19 qualified prison personnel in ‘David Blunkett’s Banged Up and 26 July 2008) remarking, ‘it’s attendance – and into which ten is a sham’ astounding that, despite the young men aged between 16 and 17, The quote above was the blogged uncountable permutations of reality all of whom had offended (one or response of Erwin James, Guardian television we’ve endured, nobody two persistently) were received as correspondent and ex-prisoner, and has done this before’, ‘dazzlingly ‘prisoners’. Later, adult, former represents some of the more negative simple, and arguably meaningful’ prisoners – who had been trained as views on the series. Other more and ‘The drama is compelling, the mentors – were introduced into the positive and occasionally tangential insight into prison life fascinating’. jail as cellmates for the young comments are presented below as a On the other hand Stuart Jeffries prisoners. A specific device of having way of understanding how Banged reviewing the series remarked, ‘Like the young prisoners attend a ‘parole Up may have positively contributed Big Brother, this had sociological board’ hearing was introduced by to public criminology through justification lost in the mists of the TV production company, as a ‘benchmarking’ what is acceptable production meetings and probably means of both telling the young and unacceptable practice in prison, similarly disappointing viewing

rCJM No 77.indd 22 28/08/2009 15:12:16: ﬁ gures’. So we have a ‘Marmite’ week in which Myra Hindley: The Parents, schools or youth offending product – people either loved it or Prison Years was ranked 16th with teams might record these loathed it. 1.07m. For comparison, BBC1’s 30th programmes and use them as a tool’. Much was made of the Blunkett ranked programme that week, 6 And whilst hopeful about the connection. Andrea Mullaney writing O’clock News, attracted 3.59m; outcomes for offenders, ex-offenders REFORM in the Scotsman (29 July 2008) spoke BBC2’s Eggheads 1.36m; ITV’s Trinny and ‘ofﬁcers’ alike we would stop of an ‘experiment in rehabilitating and Susannah Undress the Nation short of Stephen Piles’ suggestion – David Blunkett as a TV personality’ 2.93m and Channel 4’s Richard and also in the Telegraph (12 July 2008) and Alice Thomson in The Times (7 Judy 1.08m. Whilst Channel 5 – that, ‘If all of them change their July 2008) allows Blunkett to insist, cannot boast the public service ways, the criminal justice system PENAL ‘he was not playing the role of pretensions of the BBC or Channel 4 must be handed over to Channel 5 Davina McCall. This was no Big its schedulers/audience has a taste immediately’. Brother. It wasn’t even The for crime dramas and documentaries Without seeking to equate

Apprentice. We didn’t seek to so the use of a reality format is Banged Up with the experiences of ORING humiliate anyone’. The Western Mail particularly appropriate and will John Tulloch, Professor of Sociology (14 July 2008) was more positive, have reached more people than read at Brunel University blown up in the claiming, ‘unquestionably this this journal. 7/7 attack at Edgware Station, who EXPL summer’s toughest reality show, and In his discussion with Aitkenhead writing in this journal after his blood- what’s more, it serves a very serious (Guardian, 7 July 2008) David spattered face became an iconic purpose – which is probably why it’s Blunkett explained: picture of that day, and despite the presented by a former Home fact that his image was used by the Secretary’. We spent a lot of time making Sun, without his consent, to support In addition to lengthy pieces in these four one-hour episodes, Blair’s call for 90 days detention The Guardian (7 August 2008), Daily actually looking at the problem without charge, argued: Telegraph (5 July 2008), The Times (7 and being able to talk it through. and 8 August 2008) focusing on You don’t get that space to be There is room for much more Blunkett, the New Statesman (17 July able to articulate it when you’re ‘public intellectual’ engagement 2008) allowed him 1,400 words to in government. You just don’t. in the media than we might think. justify himself and the programme. In For academics, I believe there is this he set out much of the material Elsewhere he mentions the no more important activity in the mentioned above, name checked difficulties of being Home Secretary face of the growth of the criminal those involved and praised the ex- and of funding ‘experimental justice state. offender mentor Bob Croxton and programmes’. Here he is referring (Tulloch, 2008) the young offender that Bob helped to ‘scared straight’ and restorative and another who was to join the justice or community interventions, Through benchmarking what should army. These mentions are by fi rst and one of the most dramatic happen in our jails with those young name but some local papers did not scenes within the series related to people who are imprisoned there give that level of anonymity. On 15 a restorative justice initiative with and by humanising them and their July 2008, Liverpool Daily Echo two of the young offenders. In his adult mentors, the cause of public focused on local ‘DC’ who, ‘who has autobiography Blunkett complains criminology and penal reform was gone from layabout to full time office of the ‘hand-wringing’ at liberal well-served by Banged Up. worker since taking part in the dinner parties when enthusing about programme’ whose mother, ‘was a community justice initiative he David Wilson is Professor of Criminology and starting to lose hope for her son, who wanted to import from Brooklyn Criminal Justice at Birmingham City University. always seemed angry and barely (Blunkett, 2006). Released from the spoke to her’. shackles of office he could step back References and consider other options. It is a Blunkett, D. (2006), The Blunkett Tapes: Audiences shame that the late modern condition My Life in the Bear Pit, London: Barb fi gures for the week ending 13 should render reality TV such power Bloomsbury. July show that Banged Up had 0.99 but it has to be recognised that Carrabine, E. (2008), Crime, Culture and million viewers and was ranked 28th the shortage of Habermasian civic the Media, Cambridge: Polity Press. for the channel; fi rst was Neighbours spaces for communication mean that Tulloch, J. (2008), ‘Becoming iconic’, with 1.73m. The numbers had criminologists, penal reformers and Criminal Justice Matters, 73, pp.33-34. dropped slightly for week 2 at 0.96 politicians alike may have to sup Wilson, D. and O’Sullivan, S. (2005), million viewers but was 25th rank with this particular devil. ‘Re-theorizing the penal reform functions And suffered a slight further Even so there are dangers and of the prison fi lm: Revelation, decline for week 3 to 0.87m viewers James Rampton – writing in the Daily humanization, empathy, and and 29th rank and, regrettably had Telegraph (5 July 2008) – observed: benchmarking’, Theoretical Criminology, dropped out of the top 30 in its fi nal ‘It’s a serious social experiment. 9(4), pp.471-491.

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