SBS's ground-breaking new documentary series, Life on the Outside, puts forward a question that could change someone's life: would you let a formerly incarcerated person stay in your home?
Presented by actor and activist, Danielle Cormack (Wentworth), the three-part series is inspired by a unique initiative[1] in the United States tackling recidivism - a person's relapse into criminal behaviour. Life on the Outside follows a similar approach in a world-television first on Wednesdays from 16 March, 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, placing formerly incarcerated people in households for the first 100 days of their release from prison, as a circuit breaker to help turn their lives around.
Billions of dollars are spent every year keeping people imprisoned in Australia, with more than 40,000 people currently incarcerated[2]. One in two will go back inside within the first two years of being released[3]. There is a clear connection between prison congestion and recidivism, with overcrowding impacting rehabilitation, educational and vocational programs[4], and linked to an increase in violence and poor mental health[5]. Upon release, most people who leave prison struggle to reintegrate into society due to histories of trauma and institutionalisation[6]. Some of the key contributing factors of recidivism are a lack of support for these mental and emotional complexities, and a lack of accommodation[1], with thousands of ex-prisoners experiencing homelessness[2].
After consultation with non-government organisations, charities, caseworkers, and people with lived experience, Life on the Outside explores the potential for how an initiative like this has the potential to create real change.
Presenter Danielle Cormack said: Recidivism is a topic that's close to my heart. As a partner in Heartspeak Worldwide, and through my work with charities such as SHINE for Kids, I've seen how at-risk youth and families with relatives in the criminal justice system also pay the price. It would be easy to pass judgement, but the impact of incarceration shouldn't be underestimated. For many, freedom can seem like a slippery slope, and reoffending the only path back to a bed, a meal, and a sense of belonging. I believe everyone should be treated equally and I'm excited about the potential for real change that's explored in this series.
Over three episodes, the series follows four formerly incarcerated people in a bold experiment that places them in households with a carefully selected individual or family for the first 100 days of their release. Through this initiative, they are offered a room and board, around-the clock access to a caseworker, and introductions to various mentors and assistance programs.
Husband and wife, Wayne and Julie, agree to house Brett, a serial offender who has been to prison four times. Louise Ridlen and her two adult children, Brittany and Reggie, agree to house Jeremy, a 41-year-old man who has spent nearly half his life in prison and has been to prison 14 times.
During his 100-day stay with the Ridlens, Jeremy said, Theyve been so supportive and been so damn terrific when it comes to just putting all my past beside me and saying, you know what, let's judge him on how he is now. And if more people were like Louise and her family, the crime rates would go down tremendously, the jails would be half empty and the world would be a much better place.
School teacher Nigel agrees to house Dane, a 24-year-old father of three, who was in prison for 10 months. As a Bundjalung man, Dane is statistically among the most incarcerated people in the world[3]. Dane said, I appreciate everything about this program because it has given me a stable place to live, and there's someone there to talk to if I need to. They've given me the opportunity to be out and be able to see my kids.
Amanda is an empty nester who wants to offer support to others who may not have it, and agrees to house Sierra, a 41-year-old mother of two who's spent the last 13 months in custody.
The series also features people with a lived experience of prison and its aftermath who offer insight into the difficulties ex-prisoners face when trying to reintegrate into society, and how support on the outside is a crucial step in reducing the likelihood of reoffence. These include Joe, who served nine years; Alby, who served 14 years; and Jenna, a former policewoman who served 12 months.
The power of a second chance requires both parties to approach the initiative with trust and an open mind, but it isn't without its challenges. This insightful series shows that great risk can offer great reward, as people open their homes - and their hearts - to those who are looking to turn their life around for the better.
SBS Head of Documentaries, Joseph Maxwell said: Life on the Outside looks at recidivism in a provocative, but purposeful manner, through an initiative that could greatly help reduce the staggering rate of reconviction in this country. The series cuts through stigma and puts forward a different perspective to generate awareness and understanding about the ongoing battle formerly incarcerated people face when trying to rebuild their lives. It's SBS's role to create programs that drive national conversation around important issues. We hope this program will contribute to social cohesion and inspire positive action.
ITV Studios Australia, Head of Factual & Reality, Ben Ulm said: Life on the Outside was one of the most challenging and complex series we have undertaken. While the public often perceives criminals as hardened and resilient, in fact they are among the most vulnerable members of our community, particularly the moment they step back out into the free world. Thank you to all our contributors who bravely shared their stories. This series is authentic, insightfu
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
06/04/2026
Michigan legends bring a new voice to the broadcast as TNT Sports and CBS Sports...
06/04/2026
From high school sports all the way up to the major leagues, building high-quali...
06/04/2026
Quickplay, an AI company for the media and entertainment industry, has been accepted into the Advanced tier of the TwelveLabs Ecosystem Partner Program. Quickpl...
06/04/2026
Grass Valley has announced the Future Playmakers Program, a global initiative to...
06/04/2026
El l der de operaciones impulsa la producci n en estudio mientras encuentra insp...
06/04/2026
The ops leader helps lead the charge in studio for the Spanish-language broadcas...
06/04/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
06/04/2026
The National Hockey League (NHL), in partnership with Verizon and the New Jersey Devils, today announced the opening of the NHL Innovation Lab powered by Verizo...
06/04/2026
Rock League, a new professional curling league, has announced that ESPN+ will stream its inaugural 2026 season for fans in the United States. The first Rock Lea...
06/04/2026
Advanced Systems Group has announced the appointment of Andrea (Andy) Cummis as Vice President of Systems Design and Engineering. In this role, she will lead de...
06/04/2026
Backed by Bolt Ventures, the venture brings Bryson DeChambeau, Grant Horvat, and...
06/04/2026
With this environment we can start that collaboration even earlier because we ca...
06/04/2026
Like the immortal lives of vampires, some stories never really end. That's t...
06/04/2026
As podcasting continues to evolve, growth increasingly means building beyond aud...
06/04/2026
Multiband dynamics plug-in enhanced
California-based developer FSK Audio have released a significant update for their innovative multiband dynamics processo...
06/04/2026
Share official & user-created full-rig presets
IK Multimedia's latest TONEX update makes it possible for users of the popular amp and effects modelling ...
06/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/04/2026
Dalet Showcases Dalia Agentic AI and End-to-End Media Workflows at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Dalet, a leading technology and...
06/04/2026
OpenDrives Shows Off Sports Expertise in Sports Business Hub located in NAB Show...
06/04/2026
Proton to Demonstrate 3D Application at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Yet further creative potential unleashed through innovation in ...
06/04/2026
Autoscript Highlights Voice-Driven Prompting and PTZ Solutions at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton April 6, 2026
0 Comments
Experience Autoscript Voice, PTZ prom...
06/04/2026
Mediaproxy Highlights Significant Enhancements to its LogServer suite at NAB Sho...
06/04/2026
Wayne, N.J., April 6th, 2026 Phantom High-Speed announces the release of PCC 4...
06/04/2026
April 6th, 2026
TRIBECA STUDIOS AND LILLY ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF INAUGURAL VITAL...
06/04/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Expands Kids Entertainment Lineup With Playground App ...
05/04/2026
Tackles all reported bugs!
SoundBridge have just announced the launch of a new update that introduces a couple of minor changes to their remote collaboratio...
04/04/2026
The University of Arizona's Men's Basketball team has only loss twice th...
04/04/2026
1080p HDR arrives, a new generation of storytelling tools takes center stage, an...
04/04/2026
Michigan legends bring a new voice to the broadcast as TNT Sports and CBS Sports...
04/04/2026
Faster, cleaner and more intuitive than ever
The control software for Flock Audio's digitally controlled patchbay systems has just been treated to an up...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/04/2026
DHD Introduces AI-Based Audio Noise Reduction to XD3 IP Core
Brie Clayton April 3, 2026
0 Comments
The accompanying image shows the rear panel of the ...
04/04/2026
Macnica Redefines ST 2110 Flexibility with Two Speeds on One Card
Brie Clayton April 3, 2026
0 Comments
New for NAB Show 2026, MEP100 SmartNIC now sup...
04/04/2026
Unified Media Workflows for Story-Centric Production
Brie Clayton April 3, 2026
0 Comments
Framelight X unifies field capture, editing and publishing ...
03/04/2026
Michigan's Fab Five will reunite for an alternate presentation of the Mich...
03/04/2026
Avid will exhibit at NAB Show 2026 (April 18-22, Booth N2226, Las Vegas Convention Center), demonstrating its Content Core platform and new AI-driven workflow c...
03/04/2026
Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC) has announced the appointment of Nick Barthee as Chief Operating Officer.
The announcement follows MRMC's transition fro...
03/04/2026
Interra Systems has announced that Elite Media Technologies has selected its BATON file-based QC solution for media workflows. Elite Media Technologies speciali...
03/04/2026
Ateme has announced that Moldtelecom has deployed Ateme technologies across its streaming workflow, covering encoding, delivery, operations, and analytics.
Mol...
03/04/2026
Grass Valley will demonstrate Framelight X, its content management platform, at NAB Show 2026. The platform connects capture, ingest, editing, and publishing in...
03/04/2026
Encompass Digital Media and Techex have announced a cloud-native Master Control ...
SBS's ground-breaking new documentary series, Life on the Outside, puts forward a question that could change someone's life: would you let a formerly incarcerated person stay in your home?
