January 17, 2023 6.55 am This story is over 15 months old

Peeking behind prison walls: Morton Hall governor to appear on MoJ podcast

The podcast is a never-before seen glimpse into the work behind the prison system
A governor at HMP Morton Hall, Emma Frost (left), will appear on a Ministry of Justice podcast, narrated by actor Ben Bailey Smith (right) about how the system protects the public and aims to prevent reoffending. | Photo: Ministry of Justice
By Local Democracy Reporter

A governor at a jail near Lincoln will feature in a new Ministry of Justice-backed podcast looking into life behind the prison walls for staff and inmates.

The podcast is called A Prison’s Guide To… and will see actor and comedian Ben Bailey Smith, otherwise known by his stage name Doc Brown, speak to prison staff across England and Wales about the importance of breaking the cycle of crime.

It has been created by the Ministry of Justice and Acast Creative to offer people a one-of-a-kind glimpse behind the prison walls, hearing first-hand accounts from staff members up and down the country during the four-part series.

Episode three of the podcast, which airs next week, will see Smith speak to 35-year-old Emma Frost, a governor at HMP Morton Hall in Swinderby, near Lincoln.

HMP Morton Hall formerly served as an immigration detention centre, but the Home Office converted it to its former use as an adult male prison after ceasing to operate in July 2021.

Morton Hall in Swinderby, near Lincoln. | Photo: Home Office

Emma lives locally and has worked in the prison service for thirteen years, starting off as a support staff worker before climbing the ladder up to a governor role.

She will share her story with Ben Bailey Smith about how prisoners and communities are kept safe within the jail system, as well as highlighting the work done to reduce reoffending.

Emma said: “Since joining the service over a decade ago, I have progressed to a Head of Function Governor in charge of a large team of around 60 staff and am responsible for all the accommodation at the prison. I’m really excited to be part of this podcast.

“I want to show people that working in the prison service is challenging but also really rewarding. It’s not at all as gloomy and scary as TV dramas would have you believe! 

“People often think it’s quite unusual that I’m a woman in the prison service but it’s never held me back.

“I think the key to being good at the role is being assertive but also being adaptable, ensuring you are able to talk to a variety of different individuals and deescalate issues if needed.

“I love my job and hope other people will be interested in finding out more about what we do too via the podcast.”

Karen Hall, governor at HMP Morton Hall, adds: “Emma is a crucial part of the team here and by sharing her experience has helped to show that there’s no typical day as a prison officer or working in a prison.

“Every shift is different but each one is an opportunity to make a difference in a prisoner’s life and protect the public. The hard work of our staff is often unseen so it’s fantastic to see it celebrated in this new podcast.”

You can listen to the first episode of the podcast by searching A Prison’s Guide To… on any major streaming platform – with Emma’s episode airing next week.

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