16 January 2012, Dr Alyson Brown, Dartmoor Prison Riot 1932

On January 24 1932 prisoners in the exercise yard at Dartmoor Prison rioted and took control of the prison for about 1 ½ hours before they were rounded up by armed police brought in from Plymouth. Dr Brown showed film and newspaper articles of the event and dealt with the subsequent trial and enquiry into the causes and prosecution of the rioters.

There had been previously been some disturbances and grievances which had been harshly dealt with and prison reform was slow in the 1920s especially in a large out of date prison in an isolated area with violent offenders who could spend 18 – 19 hours per day in the cells.

Of the rioters 22 were found guilty and sentenced to a total of 99 years in other prisons and the rest were dealt with by the Board of Visitors.

This episode highlighted the urgent need for prison reform.