Inside the World's Toughest Prisons backdrop
Crime•Documentary

The Best Episodes of Inside the World's Toughest Prisons

Every episode of Inside the World's Toughest Prisons ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Inside the World's Toughest Prisons!

Binge this in 21h 21m•Peaking at 8.0/10

Crime journalist Raphael Rowe goes behind the bars of some of the world’s most notorious and toughest prisons. Immersing himself in maximum security facilities around the world to live as a prisoner, he encounters the

Airs on
5Netflix
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons7

All1234567

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 4 - Norway: The Perfect Prison?
    8.0/10(195 votes)

    #1 - Norway: The Perfect Prison?

    S3:E4

    Many prisons aim to punish and demean inmates. Norway's Halden Prison -- as Raphael Rowe is about to see for himself -- does things differently.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 1 - Paraguay: The Most Dangerous Prison on Earth
    7.8/10(171 votes)

    #2 - Paraguay: The Most Dangerous Prison on Earth

    S4:E1

    Raphael Rowe spends a week behind bars at Tacumbu prison in Paraguay, where inmates scrounge in the trash in order to pay their own way.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 5 Episode 3 - Greenland: Prison in the Ice
    7.6/10(127 votes)

    #3 - Greenland: Prison in the Ice

    S5:E3

    Greenland's Nuuk maximum security prison houses extremely dangerous prisoners, many of whom grew up alongside the guards now watching over them.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 6 Episode 2 - Cyprus: The Utopian Prison
    7.6/10(94 votes)

    #4 - Cyprus: The Utopian Prison

    S6:E2

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 6 Episode 3 - Bosnia: The Mafia Prison
    7.6/10(93 votes)

    #5 - Bosnia: The Mafia Prison

    S6:E3

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 2 - Ukraine: The Prison in a War Zone
    7.5/10(196 votes)

    #6 - Ukraine: The Prison in a War Zone

    S2:E2

    Ukraine's Zhytomyr Prison is operated with a skeleton crew that allows prisoners to freely roam the grounds -- often with potentially dangerous weapons.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Inside the World's Toughest Prisons

    READ
  7. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 4 - Lesotho: Confronting Sexual Violence
    7.4/10(131 votes)

    #7 - Lesotho: Confronting Sexual Violence

    S4:E4

    An unnerved Rowe contends with aggressive cellmates at Maseru prison, where a high number of inmates are behind bars for rape.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 5 Episode 1 - South Africa: The Number Gangs Prison
    7.4/10(127 votes)

    #8 - South Africa: The Number Gangs Prison

    S5:E1

    At Brandvlei Correctional Centre in South Africa, nearly all the convicts belong to dangerous gangs known for lethal stabbings.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 1 - Finland: The Free Choice Prison
    7.4/10(82 votes)

    #9 - Finland: The Free Choice Prison

    S7:E1

    At Finland's Kylmäkoski prison, Raphael meets violent offenders in the general population wing and bonds with the inmates, while a newcomer is attacked.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 6 Episode 1 - Moldova: The Lifers Prison
    7.3/10(106 votes)

    #10 - Moldova: The Lifers Prison

    S6:E1

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 2 - Czech Republic: The Crystal Meth Prison
    7.3/10(63 votes)

    #11 - Czech Republic: The Crystal Meth Prison

    S7:E2

    Surrounded by many inmates who struggle with crystal meth addiction, Raphael enters the Pilsen prison and discovers that some habits are hard to break.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 3 - Papua New Guinea: The Breakout Prison
    7.2/10(161 votes)

    #12 - Papua New Guinea: The Breakout Prison

    S2:E3

    Raphael Rowe visits the short-staffed Bomana Prison in Papua New Guinea, where near-constant food shortages keep the facility on the brink of chaos.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 1 - Costa Rica: Prison on a Knife-Edge
    7.2/10(145 votes)

    #13 - Costa Rica: Prison on a Knife-Edge

    S3:E1

    Though he's no stranger to life behind bars, Raphael Rowe concedes that Costa Rica's La Reforma Prison is certainly among the most intimidating.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 2 - Colombia: Narco Prison
    7.2/10(141 votes)

    #14 - Colombia: Narco Prison

    S3:E2

    While spending a week inside Bogotá's fortress-like prison, Raphael Rowe must negotiate the oppressive atmosphere and deal with an ominous threat.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 3 - Mauritius: The Extreme Punishment Prison
    7.2/10(124 votes)

    #15 - Mauritius: The Extreme Punishment Prison

    S4:E3

    The tropical island of Mauritius is home to Melrose maximum security prison, where even the smallest infraction is met with extreme punishment.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 5 Episode 2 - Philippines: The War on Drugs Prison
    7.2/10(110 votes)

    #16 - Philippines: The War on Drugs Prison

    S5:E2

    Once again, Raphael Rowe volunteers to go behind bars, this time in the Philippines at Manila City Jail, one of the world's most overcrowded prisons.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 1 - Brazil: The Gang Prison
    7.1/10(190 votes)

    #17 - Brazil: The Gang Prison

    S2:E1

    Investigative journalist Raphael Rowe spends a few days -- both as a guard and a prisoner -- inside Brazil's gang-filled Porto Velho Penitentiary.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 2 - Germany: The Therapy Prison
    7.1/10(134 votes)

    #18 - Germany: The Therapy Prison

    S4:E2

    Schwalmstadt, a 12th-century fortress surrounded by a moat, houses some of Germany's worst offenders, many of whom attend intense therapy sessions.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 4 - Solomon Islands: God’s Own Prison
    7.1/10(62 votes)

    #19 - Solomon Islands: God’s Own Prison

    S7:E4

    At the Rove maximum security prison, many of the inmates serve time for sexual offenses while navigating grim conditions and extremely limited resources.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 3 - Mexico
    7.0/10(172 votes)

    #20 - Mexico

    S1:E3

    Mexico's el Hongo prison is home to murderers, hitmen, drug bossess and -- for one week -- Paul Connolly, who experiences life among the inmates.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 4 - Belize: The Prison That Found God
    7.0/10(145 votes)

    #21 - Belize: The Prison That Found God

    S2:E4

    In Belize Central Prison, the inmates are told that rehabilitation comes through God. Raphael Rowe investigates if this evangelical approach works.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 3 - Romania: Gypsy Prison
    7.0/10(149 votes)

    #22 - Romania: Gypsy Prison

    S3:E3

    Raphael Rowe spends a week at a maximum security prison in Craiova, Romania, where the inmates include rapists, murderers and contract killers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 3 - Indonesia: The re-programming drug prison
    7.0/10(59 votes)

    #23 - Indonesia: The re-programming drug prison

    S7:E3

    Raphael gets a rare look inside Bangli prison, where drug offenders are forced to join a rehabilitation program and isolation is used as punishment.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 2 - Poland
    6.9/10(198 votes)

    #24 - Poland

    S1:E2

    Connolly serves time in Poland's Piotrkow prison, a maximun security lockup where the country's most hardened criminals stay in cells 23 hours a day.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 4 - Philippines
    6.8/10(178 votes)

    #25 - Philippines

    S1:E4

    Connolly spends time in two different prisons in the Philippines, where overcrowding, gangs and severe intimidation are a way of life.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Norway: The Perfect Prison?" is the best rated episode of "Inside the World's Toughest Prisons". It scored 8/10 based on 195 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 12/14/2018. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Paraguay: The Most Dangerous Prison on Earth".