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 8m•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(198 votes)

    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(177 votes)

    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(133 votes)

    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(99 votes)

    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(96 votes)

    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(201 votes)

    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(137 votes)

    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(133 votes)

    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 6 Episode 1 - Moldova: The Lifers Prison
    7.4/10(110 votes)

    S6:E1

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 1 - Finland: The Free Choice Prison
    7.4/10(87 votes)

    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

  11. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 2 - Czech Republic: The Crystal Meth Prison
    7.3/10(66 votes)

    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 1 - Brazil: The Gang Prison
    7.2/10(196 votes)

    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

  13. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 3 - Papua New Guinea: The Breakout Prison
    7.2/10(165 votes)

    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

  14. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 1 - Costa Rica: Prison on a Knife-Edge
    7.2/10(150 votes)

    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

  15. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 2 - Colombia: Narco Prison
    7.2/10(147 votes)

    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

  16. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 3 - Mauritius: The Extreme Punishment Prison
    7.2/10(130 votes)

    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

  17. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 5 Episode 2 - Philippines: The War on Drugs Prison
    7.2/10(116 votes)

    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

  18. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 4 - Solomon Islands: God’s Own Prison
    7.2/10(66 votes)

    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

  19. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 4 Episode 2 - Germany: The Therapy Prison
    7.1/10(138 votes)

    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

  20. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 2 Episode 4 - Belize: The Prison That Found God
    7.0/10(149 votes)

    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

  21. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 3 Episode 3 - Romania: Gypsy Prison
    7.0/10(153 votes)

    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

  22. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 7 Episode 3 - Indonesia: The re-programming drug prison
    7.0/10(63 votes)

    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

  23. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 2 - Poland
    6.9/10(202 votes)

    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

  24. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 3 - Mexico
    6.9/10(178 votes)

    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

  25. Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Season 1 Episode 4 - Philippines
    6.8/10(184 votes)

    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 198 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".