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Chapter 1: What happens when a prisoner is mistakenly released?
This is Drama of the Week. Life and Time. Three Days. By James Fritz.
A person's life is their record. A person's record is their life. In prison, you know, there's very little difference.
The manhunt continues today for the prisoner Lee Kirk, who was still at large two days after being mistakenly released from prison. Kirk, who was serving a nine-year sentence, was accidentally released on Monday. Prisoner at large Lee Kirk.
Lee Kirk. Police have requested anyone with information about prisoner Lee Kirk. Information about his whereabouts to contact police immediately. The Ministry of Justice has released... If cited, the prisoner should not be approached by any man.
And now to the story of Lee Kirk.
The police are still looking for information about his whereabouts. He's considered extremely dangerous.
A man is on the loose. A system is in crisis. And everyone, everywhere is asking the same question.
How could something like this happen?
The prison service are reviewing security measures while the police are urging anyone who has information to please come forward. Accidentally released.
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Chapter 2: How does the prison system react to a clerical error?
He just doesn't know it yet. Lee's currently buying a Snickers at a newsagent because he still believes he is a free man. Two days ago, he had what he thought was his last conversation in prison with me.
Thanks for everything, yes.
Well, good luck, Lee, and I hope this is the last I see of you. He left prison with a handshake, the properly signed paperwork and a hundred quid discharge grant. No one chased him out the door. No alarms went off. No one even batted an eyelid. This is Claire. Claire is Lee's sister. She hasn't thought about her brother in a long time. She hasn't had the headspace.
Kids, now please!
She is halfway out the door when she gets a news alert. And when she clicks on the story, sees Lee's face staring back at her. Oh my God. Quickly followed by a knock at the door. To properly tell the sad story of Lee Kirk, we could go back 200 years or more, but we'll start in a courtroom two years ago and see how far we get.
It is the end of Lee's trial, and he takes a deep breath as his sentence is read out.
One sentence of five years, four months, and one sentence of three years, eight months, to be served consecutively.
This is worse than he'd expected. Consecutive sentences, nine years back to back.
OK. OK.
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Chapter 3: What are the consequences of Lee Kirk's unexpected release?
CPS are asking you to file this.
CPS are waiting. Alex loves his job. He cares about his job. So determined is he not to let the backlog get the better of his team that he works flat out from the moment he gets in to the end of the day, which is when he processes Lee Kirk's sentence and enters it into the system.
Lee Kirk, court two.
As his exhausted eyes stare at the sentencing remarks, where the judge clearly said...
Two sentences to be served consecutively.
As in, back to back, he reads... To be served concurrently. As in, all at once, he stares again. It definitely says... Consequently. But he reads... Concurrently. And ticks the wrong box, signs off the paperwork and sends it on its way. The record is filed in a box that travels with Lee to the prison that he will call home. It is two years later. Lee Kirk's box is about to be opened.
Carly, it's nearly seven. How many more you got? That's me, Yaz. I work in the Offender Management Unit at Lees Prison. Morning, pal. You all right? The OMU is at the heart of prison life. We spend our time talking with prisoners. We're here to discuss your progress. Coordinating rehabilitation. I can get you on that course, but it's going to be another few weeks.
And laying the ground for a prisoner's release. I need accommodation for him, but it can't be in that postcode. But at this moment, we've got no time for anything else. It'll have to wait, love. I'm so sorry. Because right now, our whole world is calculators. Calculators and boxes.
This recalculating's doing my head in.
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Chapter 4: How do staff members cope with the chaos of the prison system?
One that is tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.
In the early 90s, the number of people in UK prisons is around 40,000, with recall rates in the low hundreds. But then gradually, something begins to happen. Sentences get longer.
When politicians talk about tough sentencing, people roll their eyes. Policies get tougher.
We want safer streets, safer communities. More people get recalled. Tackling more crime means more people in jail. So by the time we get to Lee, it has more than doubled to...
Just under 90,000 people across the prison system, Minister.
The prison's director's hand is shaking. He knows that this junior minister has no idea what's coming.
So what does that mean, practically?
Bluntly, we are at capacity. There is nowhere left to put people and more are being sent to prison every day.
I thought we just opened a new wing. You did.
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Chapter 5: What challenges do prison staff face in managing records?
He doesn't really like the prisoners. He doesn't really like the job, truth be told. His predecessor on the wing was a guy called Paul. Let's greet it with a smile. Paul did know the prisoners. He knew Lee Kirk well, and if a list had been passed to him, he would have almost certainly spotted that there'd been a mistake. But Paul can't help, having been signed off for stress the month before.
I can't go back in there. I can't go back in there. Don't make me, Mike, don't. I don't want to go.
Please don't leave me, please.
So when Joe says... Yep, all looks fine.
He doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.
Lee Cook. Yes, boss.
Your release date's been brought forward. What? Sign this.
If we're being honest, the first thought that pops into Lee's head is... What?
Already? That can't be right.
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Chapter 6: How does Lee Kirk feel about his release and newfound freedom?
App? No, I haven't got any data.
Can I see your passport?
My passport? And of course, of course he'd forgotten.
To check in.
Forgotten that he even needed such a thing.
Yeah, of course, that's what you need. I mean, I don't have one. Obviously, I don't have one. Where am I going to get a passport?
Claire has just finished her shift at work when she gets a call from an unknown number. Hello?
It's me.
Where are you calling from?
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