Prison-Industrial Complex

Episode #20

Prison-Industrial Complex

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This past weekend highlighted two historic visits to U.S. prisons. First, Pope Francis spoke with a group of about 100 inmates in Philadelphia. Then HBO aired VICE’s special report, “Fixing the System,” which covered President Obama’s visit to a federal prison. To discuss the significance of these visits, the rise of “offender-funded justice,” and the country’s failed experiment with private prisons, we’re joined by Jeremy Haile, Federal Advocacy Counsel for The Sentencing Project, as well as Carl Takei, Staff Attorney at the National Prison Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). We also speak with Rachel Tardiff, Deputy Director of Outreach for Media Matters for America, who breaks down the latest attempt in Maine to shame low-income Americans. And finally, we provide a sneak peek into the United Planning Organization’s discussion on “Poverty in the Media,” which brought together D.C. media personalities and anti-poverty activists.