The CAPE Podcast serves as the audio frontline for the battle against prison expansion in England, Wales, and Scotland. We analyze the mechanics of the prison industrial complex, expose the corporations profiting from incarceration, and amplify the voices of grassroots resistance. This is where abolitionist theory meets direct action.
What will you learn from the CAPE Podcast?
Our episodes are designed to be educational tools for mobilization, not just passive listening. We deconstruct the prison system to empower local communities to fight back.
We focus on three core pillars:
- Tactical Resistance: How local groups successfully block planning permissions for new mega-prisons.
- Corporate Monitoring: Who profits from building cages? (Deep dives into companies like Kier Construction).
- Systemic Analysis: The reality of „Secure Schools” and the impact of incarceration on public health (COVID-19).
What topics do we cover in recent episodes?
Below is a breakdown of the key issues discussed in our audio archives, reflecting the urgent campaigns found in our news section.
1. How to Stop a Mega-Prison (Glasgow & Market Harborough) We discuss the legal and protest strategies required to halt expansion. Episodes cover the specific objections raised against proposed sites in Glasgow, Buckinghamshire, and Leicester. Learn how to submit effective objections to local planning authorities.
2. The Truth About „Secure Schools” We dismantle the government narrative that new youth detention centers are for „rehabilitation.” Featuring insights from Corporate Watch, we analyze the failure of centers like Rainsbrook STC and the violence inherent in youth incarceration.
3. Corporations of Punishment We shine a light on the private sector’s role in the prison boom. Specifically, we target firms like Kier Construction. We discuss how to organize demonstrations and apply economic pressure to these entities to force them out of the industry.
4. #FreeThemAll4PublicHealth Analyzing the intersection of the pandemic and the penal system. We explore why the partial release of prisoners was rejected and why public health demands a reduction in the prison population.
Where can you listen?
We distribute our content freely to maximize the reach of the abolitionist message.
- SoundCloud: Access our full archive of interviews and tactical guides.
- Apple Podcasts / Spotify: Subscribe for automatic updates on new campaigns.
- On-Site Player: Stream episodes directly below without leaving the CAPE platform.
Why is the abolitionist narrative critical now?
Mainstream media focuses on crime and punishment; we focus on root causes and community solutions.
Data and Insight: The UK government is pushing ahead with plans to create thousands of new prison places (e.g., in Wellingborough and Glen Parva), despite a lack of evidence that more prisons reduce crime. Our podcast counters this by providing the data and arguments needed to advocate for #CareNotCages.
Instead of funding concrete walls, we argue for the redirection of funds into community support, mental health, and housing.