The United States alone locks up a quarter of the world’s incarcerated people. And yet, apart from clichés – “paying a debt to society” … “you do the crime, you do the time” – there is little sense collectively in America regarding what constitutes retribution or atonement. We don’t actually know why we punish. In his investigation into the crisis of the American criminal justice system, author Ben Austen’s powerful new book, “Correction,” offers a behind-the-scenes look at the process of...
Both Sides of the Bars
Both Sides of the Bars – Incarcerated Women, Disrupted Families – Mar 2024
Andrea James, executive director and founder of the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, and Serena Martin-Liguori, executive director of New Hour -- share insights into the challenges faced by incarcerated women and the profound impact on their families. Learn how these two advocates are working tirelessly to support and rebuild the broken homes left in the wake of incarceration, and hear about the collateral damage – strained relationships and the...
Both Sides of the Bars – NY Gives Clean Slate – Feb 2024
In this episode of BSOTB, host Rob DeLeon – deputy CEO of The Fortune Society – and his two guests discuss the importance of the Clean Slate Act. They are Katie Schaffer, director of organizing and advocacy at Center for Community Alternatives (CCA), and Ismael Diaz Jr., a community organizer at CCA who, after returning home after 10 years of incarceration, struggled to access employment, housing, education, and healthcare.
Both Sides of the Bars – 13th Forward – Jan 2024
In this episode of BSOTB, two members of 13th Forward – Jacalyn Goldzweig, leader of the 13th Forward Coalition for The Legal Aid Society, and Wilfredo Laracuente, 13th Forward leader, educator, and formerly incarcerated advocate, discuss their current legislative push to pass a constitutional amendment in New York State that would end slavery as punishment as a crime and companion legislation that would ensure that all those working inside are treated with dignity and respect.
Both Sides of the Bars – Criminal Justice Pioneer Retires – Dec 2023
JoAnn Page, president of The Fortune Society, is retiring. She led Fortune for 34 years, growing the non-profit from a staff of 20 and a budget of $700,000 to a staff of over 500 and an annual budget of more than $60 million. With that growth, she transformed the organization into one that not only provides advocacy and direct services but also housing to set people on a path toward meaningful transformation. Last year Fortune served more than 11,000 individuals with life-changing services.
Both Sides of the Bars – Housing Discrimination – Nov 2023
People returning home from incarceration continue to be punished in so many ways: they struggle to find work, secure loans, gain an education, acquire needed social service benefits, and many times are denied housing.
Both Sides of the Bars – Public Safety Without Mass Incarceration – Oct 2023
With 2023 marking 50 years of mass incarceration in the U.S. -- the prison population has expanded by 500% since 1973 -- there is a clear need to reimagine the country's public safety infrastructure, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project (TSP) which advocates for effective and humane responses to crime.
Both Sides of the Bars – Wife after Prison – Sept 2023
In this episode, Sheila discusses her marriage to a man who spent 28 years behind bars which lead to "unimaginable turns of events" and psychological issues in both their lives.
Both Sides of the Bars – Reform – July 2023
Our guests today – three reentry non-profit leaders based in New York -- will discuss the challenges of confronting efforts to rollback reforms, and the need to shift narratives to show that these reforms advance racial justice as well as stronger and safer communities.
Both Sides of the Bars – Sentencing Reform for Criminalized Survivors – June 2023
Despite the criminal legal system’s espoused goal of securing justice for crime victims, all too often survivors of domestic violence are arrested, prosecuted, and punished. For instance, survivors may be criminalized for coerced criminal acts or for protecting themselves or loved ones. According to a new report by The Sentencing Project (TSP) and Survivors Justice Project (SJP), the need for sentencing reform for survivors is urgent. In this episode, our guest is TSP sentencing reform counsel...
Both Sides of the Bars – 13th Forwards – May 2023
In this episode of BSOTB, two members of 13th Forward – Jacalyn Goldzweig, leader of the 13th Forward Coalition for The Legal Aid Society, and Wilfredo Laracuente, 13th Forward leader, educator, and formerly incarcerated advocate, discuss their current legislative push to pass a constitutional amendment in New York State that would end slavery as punishment as a crime and companion legislation that would ensure that all those working inside are treated with dignity and respect.
Both Sides of the Bars – Repurposing Closed Prisons – Apr 2023
In this episode of BSOTB, the report's author -- TSP senior director of advocacy Nicole D. Porter -- discusses how out of step the U.S.'s scale of incarceration is with the rest of the world and the unacceptable racial bias that dominates criminal legal practices.
Both Sides of the Bars – Women Building Power in Community – Mar 2023
In celebration of Women's History Month, Lily Shapiro -- policy counsel of the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy at The Fortune Society -- speaks with two formerly incarcerated women who are building power in their communities.
Both Sides of the Bars – Criminal Justice Reform-The Road Ahead – Part 2 – Feb 2023
Topics include bail reform, fearmongering in the media, Rikers Island, mental health in jails and prisons in the U.S., and what do the mid-term election results mean for criminal legal reform both nationally and locally?
Both Sides of the Bars – Year-In-Review – Jan 2023
2022 has been a year of significant change within the criminal justice reform movement. In this first of two episodes, a panel of experts looks back at 2022 and discusses where we are now and where the criminal legal reform world is heading in 2023.
Both Sides of the Bars – Housing Discrimination – Nov 2022
Overcoming intersectional discrimination that faces three overlapping populations – justice-impacted women, people living with HIV/AIDS, and the LGBTQIA+ community – is vital to creating supportive, inclusive, and safe communities.
Both Sides of the Bars – Eradicating Housing Discrimination – Oct 2022
This episode focuses on understanding how eradicating housing discrimination against the formerly incarcerated and how opening up access to safe and stable homes would improve community safety.
Both Sides of the Bars – The Arts & Advocacy – Sept 2022
Creative arts – drawing, painting, acting, writing, music, and more – are becoming a prime tool for the calling for an end to mass incarceration in the United States, the promoting of alternatives to incarceration, and the supporting of successful reentry after imprisonment.
Both Sides of the Bars – Bridging the Digital Divide: Behind the Bars, Beyond Release. – August 2022
Technology is essential to modern life – now, more than ever. The reliance on technology has only increased as we navigate society during a pandemic. But government research shows that people behind bars are among the most digitally excluded in society. Too many people leave incarceration ill-prepared to navigate a digital world.
Both Sides of the Bars – Six Long Journeys Home From Prison – July 2022
This episode’s guests are Lauren Kessler as well as one of the individuals in the book, Sterling Cunio, a PEN America Writing for Justice fellow who was sentenced to life without parole at the age of 16 and then spent 27 years in prison before his sentence was commuted by the governor of Oregon.
Both Sides of the Bars – Beyond the Count – June 2022
The Prison Policy Initiative, a Northampton, MA-based non-partisan non-profit, has just come out with an analysis of a unique, large-scale survey of incarcerated people that provides a richer picture of just who is locked up in state prisons.
Both Sides of the Bars – Credible Messenger – May 2022
Serving as mentors in community programs, credible messengers are individuals who are able to connect with and motivate youth who are experiencing challenges because they come from the same communities.
Both Sides of the Bars – The Color of Justice – Apr 2022
This episode's guest is the author of that report, Ashley Nellis, Ph.D. Ashley's background is in analyzing criminal-justice policies and practices, racial disparities, youth justice, and long-term imprisonment. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and on National Public Radio.
Both Sides of the Bars – The Importance of Higher Education Programs – Mar 2022
College opportunity is one of the most impactful activities that can be offered in prison. Restoring access to college financial aid to help low-income people in prison prepare to re-enter society is a moral imperative and a public good.