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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!

The Best Episodes of Inside the World's Toughest Prisons

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...

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  1. 8.0/10(189 votes)

    #1 - Norway: The Perfect Prison?

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    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.

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  2. 7.7/10(165 votes)

    #2 - Paraguay: The Most Dangerous Prison on Earth

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    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.

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  3. 7.6/10(122 votes)

    #3 - Greenland: Prison in the Ice

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    S5:E3

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

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  4. 7.6/10(88 votes)

    #4 - Cyprus: The Utopian Prison

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    S6:E2

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  5. 7.6/10(87 votes)

    #5 - Bosnia: The Mafia Prison

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    S6:E3

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  6. 7.5/10(189 votes)

    #6 - Ukraine: The Prison in a War Zone

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    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.

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    Director:N/A
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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Inside the World's Toughest Prisons

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  8. 7.4/10(126 votes)

    #7 - Lesotho: Confronting Sexual Violence

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    S4:E4

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

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  9. 7.4/10(122 votes)

    #8 - South Africa: The Number Gangs Prison

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    S5:E1

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

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  10. 7.4/10(74 votes)

    #9 - Finland: The Free Choice Prison

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    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.

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  11. 7.3/10(105 votes)

    #10 - Philippines: The War on Drugs Prison

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    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.

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  12. 7.3/10(101 votes)

    #11 - Moldova: The Lifers Prison

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    S6:E1

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  13. 7.3/10(56 votes)

    #12 - Czech Republic: The Crystal Meth Prison

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    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.

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  14. 7.2/10(142 votes)

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

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    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.

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  15. 7.2/10(138 votes)

    #14 - Colombia: Narco Prison

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    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.

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  16. 7.2/10(119 votes)

    #15 - Mauritius: The Extreme Punishment Prison

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    S4:E3

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

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  17. 7.2/10(57 votes)

    #16 - Solomon Islands: God’s Own Prison

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    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.

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  18. 7.1/10(184 votes)

    #17 - Brazil: The Gang Prison

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    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.

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  19. 7.1/10(154 votes)

    #18 - Papua New Guinea: The Breakout Prison

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    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.

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  20. 7.1/10(128 votes)

    #19 - Germany: The Therapy Prison

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    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.

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  21. 7.0/10(140 votes)

    #20 - Belize: The Prison That Found God

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    S2:E4

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

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  22. 7.0/10(146 votes)

    #21 - Romania: Gypsy Prison

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    S3:E3

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

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  23. 7.0/10(55 votes)

    #22 - Indonesia: The re-programming drug prison

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    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.

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  24. 6.9/10(191 votes)

    #23 - Poland

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    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.

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  25. 6.9/10(165 votes)

    #24 - Mexico

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    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.

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  26. 6.8/10(171 votes)

    #25 - Philippines

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    S1:E4

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

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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 189 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 12/14/2018. This episode scored 0.3 points higher than the second highest rated, "Paraguay: The Most Dangerous Prison on Earth".