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In 2023, Scout Tzofiya Bolton entered a grocery store in the small town where she lived, carrying a toy gun. Find out what happened next in our new BBC Radio 4 documentary.
The only thing Scout knows about what happened after entering the shop is what she’s seen on CCTV footage – she pointed the toy gun at the person behind the counter and shouted to give her the money or she’d shoot.
A few hours later, four police officers knocked at her door and took her away. She didn’t return home for six months.
While in prison, Scout got involved with National Prison Radio, working with the Prison Radio Association’s team in HMP Styal to develop her radio production and presentation skills. Already an established poet, Scout was able to use her talents as a communicator and presenter to build expertise in the studio.
Scout was released from prison wearing a ‘sobriety tag’ – a tool increasingly being used to help people control their problematic alcohol use.
After her release, our producers continued to work with Scout to produce a radio ballad for BBC Radio 4. The programme is a blend of poetry, music and testimony, all created by Scout.
It’s the story of Scout’s relationship with alcohol, and with the tag that monitors her, told through Scout’s dazzling poetry.
Scout has a long history of psychosis combined with alcoholism. This was the first time she had been sent to prison. The lead-up was a prolonged psychotic episode, characterised by ‘grandiose’ behaviour. Scout believed she was a famous celebrity. She would wear ballgowns and walk up and down the high street. Everyone was looking at her – because, she believed, she was famous. In the grocery store, she believed she was making an action scene in a film. She’d called up friends to tell them it was going to be a great day’s filming.
Scout needed help. She found it in prison.
For the first time ever, Scout had an extended conversation with a forensic psychiatrist who got to grips with her complex needs.
Sobriety tags take a sweat sample every 30 minutes. The data is automatically sent to probation. There are currently around 3,000 people in England and Wales with sobriety tags as part of their probation conditions.
The Ballad of Scout and the Alcohol Tag broadcasts on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 18 August at 7.15pm. You can listen to it here
An extended version will be available on the BBC Illuminated podcast.
Music and words: Scout Yzofiya Bolton
Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Ellen Orchard
Sound design: Micky Curling
Executive Producer: Phil Maguire
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The Ballad of Scout and the Alcohol Tag is made by the Prison Radio Association – a registered charity. Our shows help people to cope with life inside prison and thrive on release. If you would like to support our work, and enhance the futures of people in prison across the UK you can make a donation at prison.radio/donate.