Get a taste of life on the inside

How do you plan a wedding when your fiancé’s in prison?

The Untold — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:42:33 +0000

The story of a white-collar-criminal’s pregnant fiancée, trying to organize their prison wedding. Recommended by Adela.

Why do prison inmates still use cassette tapes?

99% Invisible — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:41:48 +0000

The United States prison system has the largest prison population in the world and many of its inmates listen to their music on cassette tape. For this group, cassettes aren’t necessarily the cheapest or hippest way to listen to music; in some cases, it’s the only way. Recommended by Aesha from PBC-CHI.

Communities responding creatively to the prison system

State of the Re:Union — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:40:26 +0000

Recommended by Aesha from PBC-CHI.

Audio postcards to an inmate

Re:sound — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:39:34 +0000

Audio postcards to an inmate in the Red Onion State Prison from his family. Recommended by Adela.

Blogging from inside a maximum security prison

Reply All — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:38:53 +0000

For years, Paul Modrowski has been writing a blog from inside a maximum security prison. Only thing is, he was arrested when he was 18 and has never seen the internet. Recommended by @kjs_37, Ellen from PBC-CHI, and Erik from Hurt Your Brain.

A businessman-inmate sees a business opportunity in prison.

Planet Money — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:38:02 +0000

A businessman goes to prison, and decides he is going to disrupt the biggest captive market in America. Recommended by Aesha from PBC-CHI.

A marriage is buttressed by a husband’s prison sentence

Modern Love — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:37:15 +0000

Actress Cherry Jones (“Transparent,” “Doubt”) reads the essay “Kept Together by the Bars Between Us,” about a marriage that is buttressed by a husband’s prison sentence. Recommended by Erin from PBC-CHI.

Not all prisons are created equal

Lore — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:36:06 +0000

We hate losing control. And no place on earth represents that sensation more viscerally than prison. Contrary to popular belief, though, not all prisons have been created equal. Recommended by Adela.

A story of public relations and lethal injection

Everything is Stories — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:35:12 +0000

A story of public relations and lethal injection. Recommended by Sara from Audible Feast.

Intimate conversation with a Sing Sing inmate

Death, Sex & Money — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:34:26 +0000

An intimate discussion with an inmate at Sing Sing prison about his crime, what he learned, his family, and his plans. Recommended by Erik from Hurt Your Brain and Aesha from PBC-CHI.

White collar criminal imprisoned in former leper colony

Criminal — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:33:44 +0000

The conversion of the last standing leper (Hansen’s disease) colony in the continental U.S. into a minimum security prison in Louisiana. White collar criminals and patients live side-by-side. Recommended by Aesha from PBC-CHI.

Interviews with inmates, criminologists, and photographers across America

Here Be Monsters — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:33:00 +0000

In 2008, Pete Brook started the Prison Photography blog to explore images of prisoners and prisons. Then, in 2011, he traveled across the U.S. visiting prisons, interviewing criminologists, photographers, and inmates. In this interview, Pete tells us about his experiences and thoughts on the prison system in the U.S. Recommended by Galen from PBC-BOS.

America’s private corrections industry exposed by undercover journalist

Reveal — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:32:11 +0000

In this exposé, a journalist goes undercover and gets a job as a guard inside a private federal prison. What is revealed is fascinating and terrifying. I had moments of pure empathetic anxiety. Shortly after the episode dropped, the Justice Department announced that they would no longer contract with private prisons. This episode was recommended by SO MANY people in the PBC community (thanks to Sara from Audible Feast, @kjs_37, @jd_sutter, Drew from PBC-CHI, and Kevin and Christa who work at Reveal.

Live, uncensored storytelling from inside San Quentin prison

Life of the Law — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:31:18 +0000

Live storytelling at San Quentin prison. From the sound of it, if you have to be in prison, SQ is a great place to be with some creative programming and surprisingly thoughtful inmates. After hearing these touching stories, I decided to look up SQ prison and was surprised to find that there is a Yelp page for the prison! It has 48 reviews and comes in at 3 full stars. Not sure what to make of that considering I’ve stayed at hotels that have gotten fewer stars than that. Recommended by Aesha from PBC-CHI.