Vrij: On Life After Detention

All too often, release from prison is viewed as an endpoint. The final, long-awaited step.

Finally, those gates open. The dream becomes reality. The start of a new life. But is that really the case? What actually happens when that gate finally opens? What happens when you are set free?

Layla El-Dekmak decides to investigate, engaging in conversations with those who were released and with experts. Her journey led her into a world that, until now, has all too often remained in the shadows. A world of exclusion, shame, loneliness, and injustice. A world that is far larger than many would suspect.

Almost everyone who goes to prison in Belgium will eventually walk back out. And that is no small group, as around 20,000 people are released every year.

These individuals often have no social network to fall back on, face major barriers accessing essential services, are frequently homeless, and deal with poverty and mental health issues. They are 'released' into society, but all too often, society does not want them back.

This audio documentary is a Docwerkers production, supported by the Pascal Decroos Fund, Trix, and Linx+.

Listen to the audio documentary on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.