Bad People

74. Web of Deceit: When should offenders be released?

In 2009 London taxi driver John Worboys was found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting five, as well as twelve charges of drugging women while they were passengers in his cab. Following a high-profile trial he was given an indeterminate prison sentence as it emerged that there may have been more than 100 victims. However, there was a public outcry when it was announced in 2018 that Worboys was to be released from prison on parole after serving just ten years in custody. How does the parole system balance the rights of the individual prisoner against the responsibility to protect the public? And are they always right?
On this episode of Bad People, Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss the purpose of parole, whether every criminal can be rehabilitated and if it is ever acceptable to lock someone up for life. CREDITSPresenters: Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen
Producer: Laura Northedge
Editor: Anna Lacey
Music: Matt Chandler
The Open University: Dr Sarah Laurence and Dr Ailsa Strathie
Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Adam Eland#BadPeople_BBC

Criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw makes a return to the series with a new co-host: journalist Amber Haque. Each episode tells the story of a true crime and explains why people do bad things. Murder, blackmail, fraud and much more. Listen every Thursday. Bad People is a BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Sounds.