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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!

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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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 5 Episode 1 - South Africa: The Number Gangs Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - 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

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  2. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 5 Episode 2 - Philippines: The War on Drugs Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - 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

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  3. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 5 Episode 3 - Greenland: Prison in the Ice
    10.0/10(1 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

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  4. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 6 Episode 1 - Moldova: The Lifers Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #4 - Moldova: The Lifers Prison

    S6:E1

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 6 Episode 2 - Cyprus: The Utopian Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #5 - Cyprus: The Utopian Prison

    S6:E2

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 6 Episode 3 - Bosnia: The Mafia Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #6 - Bosnia: The Mafia Prison

    S6:E3

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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

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  7. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 6 Episode 4 - Greece: The People Smugglers Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #7 - Greece: The People Smugglers Prison

    S6:E4

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 1 - Finland: The Free Choice Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #8 - 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

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  9. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 2 - Czech Republic: The Crystal Meth Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #9 - 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

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  10. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 3 - Indonesia: The re-programming drug prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - 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

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  11. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 4 - Solomon Islands: God’s Own Prison
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #11 - 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

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  12. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 3 - Mexico
    9.0/10(2 votes)

    #12 - 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

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  13. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 1 - Costa Rica: Prison on a Knife-Edge
    8.5/10(2 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

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  14. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 2 - Colombia: Narco Prison
    8.5/10(2 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

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  15. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 4 - Philippines
    8.0/10(3 votes)

    #15 - 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

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  16. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 3 - Mauritius: The Extreme Punishment Prison
    8.0/10(3 votes)

    #16 - 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

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  17. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 1 - Paraguay: The Most Dangerous Prison on Earth
    7.7/10(3 votes)

    #17 - 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

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  18. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 2 - Ukraine: The Prison in a War Zone
    7.3/10(3 votes)

    #18 - 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

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  19. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 2 - Germany: The Therapy Prison
    7.3/10(3 votes)

    #19 - 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

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  20. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 1 - Brazil: The Gang Prison
    7.0/10(4 votes)

    #20 - 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

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  21. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 3 - Papua New Guinea: The Breakout Prison
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    #21 - 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

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

    #22 - 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

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  23. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 4 - Lesotho: Confronting Sexual Violence
    7.0/10(3 votes)

    #23 - 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

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  24. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 1 - Honduras
    6.5/10(10 votes)

    #24 - Honduras

    S1:E1

    Paul Connolly heads to Honduras, the murder capital of the world, to spend a week living as a prisoner inside one of the most dangerous prisons - Danli Prison.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 2 - Poland
    6.5/10(6 votes)

    #25 - 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

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Best Episodes Summary

"South Africa: The Number Gangs Prison" is the best rated episode of "Inside the World's Toughest Prisons". It scored 10/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/8/2021. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Philippines: The War on Drugs Prison".