'Eloquent, witty, engaging and enraged ... the most important book you'll read this year.' Sathnam Sanghera

'Chris Atkins brings a unique perspective, an unflinching eye and a dark sense of humour to hidden stories from the underbelly of the British justice system. Time after Time is entertaining, unsettling, illuminating and important.' Rafael Behr

A funny, touching, challenging and campaigning book about our prisons crisis by the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Bit of a Stretch

British prisoners have to endure the most inhumane and barbaric conditions imaginable, so why do so many of them keep going back?

80% of criminals who receive cautions or convictions are reoffenders
46% of ex-prisoners are re-convicted within a year of leaving prison
Reoffending costs the taxpayer GBP18 billion per year

The numbers are staggering. But the reasons behind them will shock you. Former inmate and documentary maker Chris Atkins has spent the last six years tracking the fortunes of a dozen repeat offenders to understand why the state fails to keep them out of trouble.

Featuring funny, wild and poignant stories, Time After Time exploits Chris's unprecedented access to the criminal underworld to understand why the system actually makes reoffending all but inevitable for ex-prisoners.