The Cruelty: Stolen Generations
BBC Radio Scotland's Davie Donaldson investigates historic Scottish care-system failures, building on his work solving the mystery of the Unknown Bairn.
Podcasts Like The Cruelty: Stolen Generations
If you loved The Cruelty: Stolen Generations, here are the best podcasts to try next. Matched by case type, storytelling style, and community ratings from our database of Institutional failure, Child crime, Historical Crime shows.
Why listeners love The Cruelty: Stolen Generations
Historical institutional abuse, investigated with the same rigour as the reporter's earlier Unknown Bairn case. Listeners rate its binge factor at 7/10. It follows a serialized format — each season covers one case in depth, building suspense across episodes.
Binge Factor
7/10
Community-rated compulsive listenability
Format
Serialized
One story told across multiple episodes
Style
Grave; unflinching; journalistic; sombre
Presentation approach
Episode Length
30-40 min
Typical episode duration
Host Style
Solo narrator
Presentation format
Verdict
Good if historical institutional-abuse cases interest you
Our editorial rating
Recommendations
12 podcasts like The Cruelty: Stolen Generations
Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories
Character-driven narrative drama covering historical unsolved murders in accessible storytelling.
Cults
Deep exploration of cult psychology and the dark histories of major cult groups from Jim Jones to modern movements.
Pipeline
The Crime Desk's investigation into four professional divers sucked hundreds of feet into a Caribbean oil pipeline in 2022 — and the failing safety standards that put them there.
Murdaugh Murders Podcast
Journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell broke the Murdaugh family saga before it became a national story, and kept reporting it deeper than anyone else.
Lore
Award-winning dark history podcast exploring terrifying historical truths that inspired folklore and legend.
Serial Killers
Parcast's weekly deep dive into the psychology and criminal histories of notorious serial killers.
The Nobody Zone
RTÉ's award-winning investigation into Kieran Kelly, believed to be Ireland's first identified serial killer.
Buried Bones
Journalist Kate Winkler Dawson and forensic investigator Paul Holes dissect historical true crime cases through modern forensic insight, with excellent on-air chemistry.
UNMARKED
James Buddy Day brings rare interviews, real police evidence, and never-before-heard audio from infamous North American cases — no reenactments.
Death in Ice Valley
True crime fans who love cold case mysteries with an international dimension; people fascinated by forensic identification and the stories hidden in unidentified remains.
Stakeknife
BBC's Cover strand investigates Freddie Scappaticci, the alleged IRA double agent, and the British government's role in allowing murders to protect their asset.
Camp Swamp Road
Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein investigates a 2023 South Carolina road-rage shooting quickly ruled self-defence under Stand Your Ground — and the buried evidence that complicates that story.
How they compare
| Podcast | Format | Country | Binge |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cruelty: Stolen Generations (original) | Serialized | United Kingdom | 7/10 |
| Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories | Serialised | United States | 9/10 |
| Cults | Both | United States | 9/10 |
| Pipeline | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| Murdaugh Murders Podcast | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| Lore | Serialised | United States | 9/10 |
| Serial Killers | Serialised | United States | 9/10 |
| The Nobody Zone | Serialized | Ireland | 8/10 |
| Buried Bones | Episodic | United States | 8/10 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What podcasts are similar to The Cruelty: Stolen Generations?
The best alternatives to The Cruelty: Stolen Generations are podcasts that share its Institutional failure, Child crime, Historical Crime focus and serialized format. We've matched alternatives based on case types, storytelling format, and community ratings from our database.
Why do people love The Cruelty: Stolen Generations?
The Cruelty: Stolen Generations is known for its grave; unflinching; journalistic; sombre approach to Institutional failure and Child crime. It scores 7/10 on our binge factor rating, reflecting how compulsively listenable listeners find it.
How long are episodes of The Cruelty: Stolen Generations?
Episodes of The Cruelty: Stolen Generations are typically 30-40 min long. It follows a serialized format, covering one story across multiple episodes.
Where can I listen to The Cruelty: Stolen Generations?
The Cruelty: Stolen Generations is available on BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. You can find it by searching the show name on any of those platforms.
What is the best episode of The Cruelty: Stolen Generations to start with?
New listeners are recommended to start with Episode 1. As a serialized podcast, it's best to start from the beginning of a season.