Tore Price was serving time behind the wall, in Michigan, when he learned about the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program being taught by the University of Michigan. According to Tore, there were 1,000 incarcerated individuals who rushed to sign up for the weekly class with students from the University. With only 15 slots available lady luck was definitely on Tores side. When asking him to describe the Inside-Out Program, his words were short and sweet, intellectual espresso. For Tore, this was the launching pad that propelled him to not only continue to educate himself but also be an advocate for other incarcerated individuals. Having served his ten-year sentence, Tore is now a training coach and special program coordinator for the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. Proof that education is a tool for resistance, dignity, and collective liberation.

While prisons in the United States offer a variety of educational pursuits, it only took a brief conversation between a college educator and an incarcerated individual for the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program to be born. Four decades later, the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is still going strong, thanks to Founder, Lori Pompa. Lori's vision to bring her students, from Temple University to interface with incarcerated individuals, in a unique classroom setting, behind the wall, was not only a leap of faith but ahead of its time. In Lori's own words, "It is a class, though not an ordinary one. In this class roles are intermingled; everyone is the teacher, and everyone is the learner." Staying in step with her college classes timeline and curriculum, this powerful education model changed the narrative for all. Once a week for an entire college semester, students around the world arrive at local prisons and sit in Lori's now famous circle of curriculum, compassion, and collaboration. All these years later, this innovative model continues to foster dialogue and understanding between incarcerated individuals and college students while continuing to grow organically. Today more than 1600 college/university professors, along with other educators, and 15 countries around the globe, teach Inside-Out courses.

Dan Sheridan and Ashley Anderson are both PhDs and licensed behavior analysts, but don't let their titles fool you; their work at Auburn University is no desk job. In partnership with the Alabama Department of Youth Services, Dan and Ashley headup a team of undergraduate students, graduate clinicians, and full-time staff who provide support for juvenile offenders within a local secure residential facility. Listen in as they share their insights on the intersection of research, education, and lived experience, and how these elements can create transformative outcomes for young people at critical turning points in their lives. The conversation highlights the importance of behavior analysis in reducing recidivism and addresses the root causes of crime, emphasizing the necessity for community involvement in supporting youth reintegration.

Welcome to Season 4! Wanda Bertram from the Prison Policy Initiative stops by to discuss the latest insights and highlights on current incarceration rates, parole, juvenile justice, and how women incarcerated in the U.S. compare to other states and countries . While the statistics are alarming when reading the 'whole pie' research that the Prison Policy Initiative is known for, the truth of the criminal justice system in America is hard to ignore. Today's conversation on detention centers, youth confinement, and incarcerated women invokes the sad reality that systemic issues continue to contribute to mass incarceration in the U.S. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that highlights the continued need for reform and increased compassion within the criminal justice system.

Leadership was always in the cards for Kristin Kline. Despite being incarcerated, it only took one coach in an Arizona women's prison to encourage Kristin that she had leadership qualities and wasn't a gangster. Finding faith in herself, she launched a workout program for the women in her prison section and took to the prison yard to improve the mental health and healing of her podmates. In this episode, Kristin discusses her transformative journey from incarcerated leadership to entrepreneurial empowerment. Kristin shares her experiences of resilience, the importance of addressing trauma, and her dedication to helping women rewrite their stories through fitness and community support, both behind and beyond the wall, with her fitness organization CONVICTED Comeback. Tune in to discover how one person's comeback can inspire a movement for change and hope.

Anthony Ray Hinton was 29 years old when falsely accused of multiple murders. With no money to hire an attorney and up against a criminal justice system that accused him based on the color of his skin and a false ballistics test, he spent 30 years on death row, only feet away from the execution chamber at Holman State Prison in Alabama. In this emotional episode, Ray shares his harrowing journey through the criminal justice system, the injustices he faced, and the resilience he cultivated during his time in prison. His story is one of hope, forgiveness, and the unwavering support of his Mother and best friend, Lester. Tune in to hear about Ray's fight for freedom, his experiences on death row, and the lessons he learned about love and justice.

This episode explores the transformative journey of Brett Thomas, who at 18 years old was sentenced to an excessive prison term for a crime he personally did not commit. Brett is joined by Beth Henderson, Pro Bono Director at Microsoft, and they share the powerful story of how the Seattle Clemency Project helped Brett connect with Beth and her team to navigate the complexities of the Washington State legal system to achieve his release. Tune in to discover how the impact of compassion, Brett's resilience, and the fight for justice in the face of overwhelming odds became a winning combination.

Radha Natarajan is the Executive Director of the New England Innocence Project, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In this episode, Radha shares her journey into the world of wrongful convictions and the challenges faced by those, behind the wall, fighting for justice. Radha also shares her and her team's hard-fought battle to free Edward Wright, a man who spent 41 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Listen in to learn how the New England Innocence Project takes on innocence cases, the remarkable work to exonerate innocent individuals, stay within the complexities of the criminal justice system, and always keep alive the importance of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.