“They Called It Healthcare. We Called It Survival.”
Former prisoner Chanell Burnette and researcher Brian Nam-Sonenstein reveal how cost-cutting, secrecy, and for-profit contractors are putting lives at risk inside U.S. prisons.
Criminal Justice and Courts Sub-categories:
- Fraud and Identity Theft (10)
- Incarceration (25)
- Mass Incarceration (6)
When The Sentence Ends, The Struggle Begins
We dive into the challenges this population faces when reentering society, and how a new wave of “second chance” hiring is creating meaningful change in the workforce.
Viewpoints Explained: Alcatraz: Prison, Museum… Or Political Symbol?
We explore the history, cost, legal hurdles, and political undertones behind the proposal—and why the idea may not be as straightforward as it sounds.
Execution By Firing Squad: A New Option Within A Broken Prison System
This segment explores the ethical and logistical cracks in America’s capital punishment system — and what the rise of the firing squad says about where we’re headed.
Why Are Millions Of Americans Unable To Vote?
With the presidential election just around the corner, we speak with two experts about this heated debate.
Fighting For Your Life In Front Of A Prison Parole Board: The Road To Rehabilitation
But as rates of parole have plummeted in recent years in the U.S., experts are raising doubts about the subjective nature of the process and if prisoners have the adequate tools and resources to get parole.
Culture Crash: What’s So Special About Grand Theft Auto VI?
We discuss what gamers can expect from the latest release of Grand Theft Auto VI that’s set to drop next year.
Why Mexico Is At A Critical Political Junction
We cover Mexico’s ongoing struggle to maintain a fair and equal democracy and what’s at stake within the country and U.S.-Mexico relations.
The Rise of the Corporate Dispensary
We discuss the current inequities and the failure to maintain a model that helps populations who’ve been disproportionately affected by the war on cannabis get a seat at the table.
Viewpoints Explained: Alabama Will Soon Be The First To Use This New Execution Method
Kenneth Eugene Smith has been on death row since 1990 and his next scheduled execution is late next month. But now, he’s opting for a new method that’s never been tested before in this setting.
Viewpoints Explained: Why We’re Failing Our Inmates
Why aren’t U.S. prison systems - which receive billions of dollars in public funding each year - doing better?
Viewpoints Explained: Sam Bankman-Fried & The Multi-Billion Dollar Fraud That Changed Crypto
We cover the recent conviction of FTX founder & former CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried. Will people build up trust in cryptocurrency again?
Viewpoints Explained: An Influx of Southern Migrants: What’s Going On?
We cover how this large influx is leading to chaos and mass frustration among residents and leaders.
Viewpoints Explained: Why Are Prison Breaks Becoming More Common?
Aging infrastructure, fewer correctional officers, and a large inmate population. These are just some of the factors feeding into why prison breaks, and then large-scale manhunts, seem to be popping up more these days.
From Drug Trafficker To Informant: How Ex-Criminals Are Aiding Investigators
We also speak with Sgt. Ryan Wasson about the critical role informants play in aiding law enforcement, but why it’s important to avoid glorifying the work of people like Flores.
The Interesting Origins of Cannabis
We speak with highly acclaimed pharmacology expert Dr. Richard Miller about the global history of cannabis and its controversial record over the last 70 years of American history.
Viewpoints Explained: The Future of San Francisco
High real estate prices. Rampant crime. A mass exodus. We discuss the sharp decline of this once-golden city by the bay.
Cannabis & Profit: A Need To Make Reparations
We talk about the current landscape and changes that need to be made to include communities who've been targeted during the War on Cannabis.
A Pathway to Exoneration
We explore what factors feed into these wrongful convictions and how advocates in the arena are fighting for justice.
Giving Birth Behind Bars
Dr. Carolyn Sufrinjoins us this week to talk about the challenges pregnant prisoners face and what needs to change to make the prison system more humane, compassionate, and rehabilitation-focused for women in this situation.
When the Guilty Are Marked As Innocent
Why do we believe one person but believe another is lying? This week, author Sarah Weinman joins us as we discuss the story of one American man in the 1950’s who was able to dupe millions and get released from prison.
Finding Employment After Incarceration
In the U.S., there are roughly 19 million people with felony convictions. For this population, finding stable work can be a tumultuous and draining process. Without a job, it can be all too easy to slide back into a past life and end up behind bars once again.
The Mental Health Effects of Solitary Confinement & Imprisonment
The United States still has the highest number of inmates in the world, with more than 2 million people behind bars. For a segment of this population, spending weeks, months, or even years in solitary confinement is very much a reality. We speak with two criminal justice experts about the lasting effects of solitary confinement and the mental health crisis …
Culture Crash: Artists’ Shared Inspiration
How do artists find inspiration for a new song on an album, or a new idea for a movie? We discuss how great art is more interconnected than you may think.
