Voices Unlocked

Three prison journalists and activists share how they have countered retaliation for exposing corruption and inhumane conditions inside America's federal detention facilities. They risked solitary confinement, prison...

Housing is at the heart of successful reentry when returning home from prison. Join Voices Unlocked as we expose the human stories behind the reality that returning citizens are 10 times more likely to face homelessness...

What if the pathway to freedom after incarceration was assisted with opportunities rather than riddled with obstacles? Join us as we peel back the layers of the halfway house system, officially known as residential...

Civic engagement is essential to a healthy democracy. The traditional form of civic engagement is voting -- a right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, but taken away from most people once they become incarcerated. DC...

Have you ever pondered the purpose of your life? That's a difficult question to answer for anyone, but in prison it's a challenge to answer. In this thought-provoking episode of Voices Unlocked, Pam Bailey and Tee...

A simple hug can make a world of difference for someone behind bars. Join us as we sit down with Gene Downing, a former prisoner-turned-advocate, and Robert Barton, co-founder of More Than Our Crimes, to discuss the...

Imagine being separated from your children by thousands of miles and concrete walls -- for years and even decades. This is the reality that our guests, Robert Davis and Ron Hill, courageously share as they recount their...

In the second part of this podcast series about prison lockdowns, we hear from our guests behind bars WHY the federal Bureau of Prisons uses this tactic so much. Watch to see the rather dramatic ending. Follow this...

You've probably heard of solitary confinement in the "hole," and know the mental toll that comes with it. But did you know that "lockdowns" are confining people to their cells for weeks and months at a time in entire...

When you sit down to your next meal, be thankful for the small joy that good food offers. People in prison long for that same pleasantry. Join Pam Bailey and Irving Brockman as they share the punishing reality of prison...

Have you ever wondered what holidays feel like behind bars? We unlock this topic via an insightful discussion with our guest cohost, Ray Dodd, a formerly incarcerated paralegal, and a "lifer" named Wayne La Fleur, who...

Have you ever wondered how childhood trauma influences criminal behavior or wrestled with the decision to forgive? Join us for a riveting episode of Voices Unlocked, in which we explore these thought-provoking questions...

Have you ever pondered how inflation affects those far removed from the free market? Join us as we explore the hidden impact of inflation on incarcerated individuals, as shared by Jeremy Fontanez -- currently living...

The official end of the COVID pandemic means there may be a return to paid phone calls for federal prisoners and their families. In this episode, DC resident incarcerated in a Kentucky federal prison explains all the...

In this first episode of Voices Unlocked, co-hosts Pam Bailey and Shaka Long interview Rob Barton, incarcerated in a high-security federal penitentiary in Florida. "There are walls around the jail, and then gates...