Crime and Punishment: What the Must Watch Reviewers think

Must Watch reviewers Scott Bryan and Hayley Campbell share their thoughts on Crime and Punishment, a new series from Channel 4.

The series captures the work of the police, probation, prisons, prosecution and parole, all coping with difficult cases.

Crime and Punishment is on Mondays at 21:00 BST - and available on All 4.

Have you watched it? What did you think? Leave your comments below.

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Hayley says: "I thought this was a cracking documentary"

“Crime and Punishment is a documentary series that explores every area of the criminal justice system from both sides of the law. The first episode is about a sentence that used to be handed down, called an IPP sentence [Sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection].

“I thought this was a cracking documentary.

"In this episode - when the sentence is explained to you, and how it's for the protection of the public and for rehab - it makes sense. But in reality, it doesn't. It seems to be a lack of funding that's the problem. It felt like they're not being properly surveyed or rehabilitated and so they are forgotten.

“I must say it can get a little gory at times so go easy – even I had to look away.

“Yes – this is a must watch."

Scott says: "It’s the most access that any documentary has had"

"I feel that we are always seeing stories in the news about the prison system and issues surrounding justice. I was going in thinking that this was going to be something I’ve seen before – so it was great to have a light shone on this particular issue that generally hasn’t been [in the media] at all.

"This series looks at many different aspects of criminal justice and its access into different areas is unprecedented – it’s the most access that any documentary has had.

"For example, you could be in prison for three years - but under an IPP you could be there for the rest of your life.

"Particularly in the last third there is a sequence that is definitely unsettling but it’s one of the times where you think ‘is it justified?’ in the context of what they’re showing and it definitely is.

“Yes – this is must watch”

Crime and Punishment is on Channel 4 on Mondays at 21:00 BST and is available on All 4.

Must Watch is available as a podcast every Monday evening from BBC Sounds, or through your podcast app.

In this week's episode as part of our crime special, we also reviewed Defending the Guilty - a sitcom on BBC Two - and Criminal, a new Netflix drama series.

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