Giving teenagers an inside look at the forces of mass incarceration.

I am a seventeen-year-old high school student who wants to help rethink the criminal justice system.

That system is not working today. Why do we prioritize punishment when we know that rehabilitation works better? Why are Black and Hispanic Americans incarcerated in far greater numbers? Why are less affluent, nonwhite convicts sentenced to longer terms than wealthy whites found guilty of similar crimes? This podcast invites experts to weigh in on these questions. Each of our guests has a career that connects them with the criminal justice system. They share their firsthand experience to help young adults understand the technical elements and harsh realities of mass incarceration. We have conversations that reimagine not just criminal justice but justice in American society. 

As a young adult, I’ve noticed a recurring theme in my education. Teachers, administrators, and mentors often use the words “social justice” to encourage teenagers to work for change. While our education gives us a broad overview of some of the fundamental inequities of American society, these lessons don’t delve as deeply into specific issues like mass incarceration and the prison-industrial complex.  This podcast gives people my age an insider’s view of some of the specific forces that lead to mass incarceration.  I want to encourage others to interrogate our system and fight for a more just one.