Beyond Prisons

Beyond Prisons is a podcast on justice, mass incarceration, and prison abolition. Hosted by @phillyprof03 & @bsonenstein

Last refreshed: July 22nd, 2025 at 7:13 PM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Demanding Human Rights At Vaughn feat. Emily Abendroth

On episode 10 of Beyond Prisons, we talk about Thomas Gordon, who is incarcerated at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, a state prison in Delaware. Vaughn was the site of what has been called the Vaughn Rebellion, an uprising last February in response to horrendous living conditions that was met with brutal repression by corrections officers. Thomas wrote an open letter after the rebellion, which described their demands for human rights, including a proper diet, an adequate grievance process, ...

Jul 21, 2017•50 min

Captive Nation feat. Dan Berger

Dan Berger joins Brian Sonenstein and Kim Wilson for episode 9 of Beyond Prisons to discuss his book, "Captive Nation: Black Prison Organizing in the Civil Rights Era." We begin the conversation by looking at whose voices are heard in conversations on mass incarceration and the importance of telling the history of this struggle from the vantage point of incarcerated people. Dan explains that although jails and courtrooms have been critical battlegrounds for Black people's human rights movements ...

Jun 29, 2017•1 hr 18 min

Prison Labor feat. Jared Ware

In episode 8 of Beyond Prisons, we have a wide-ranging conversation on the subjects of prison labor and slavery. First, we hear more from Bennu Hannibal Ra-Sun, an incarcerated member of the Free Alabama Movement, and a member of Jailhouse Lawyers Speak, a group of incarcerated human rights advocates and prison abolitionists, on the connection between slavery and the 13th amendment, and how society justifies the exploitation of prisoners through academia. We are then joined by Jared Ware, our pr...

Jun 16, 2017•1 hr 19 min

Millions For Prisoners Human Rights March feat. Krystal Rountree

In episode 7 of Beyond Prisons, Brian and Kim are joined by Krystal Rountree, founder of iamWE and national organizer of the upcoming Millions for Prisoners Human Rights March on August 19 in Washington, D.C. Krystal discusses the hard work being done to organize the march and their goal to end prison slavery by removing the exception clause from the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which states, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party sh...

Jun 14, 2017•41 min

Mothering Under Surveillance feat. Maya Schenwar

In episode 6 of Beyond Prisons, Brian Sonenstein and Kim Wilson speak with Maya Schenwar about her book, "Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better." Maya discusses her experience living a "dual reality" as a journalist covering incarceration and as someone with a sibling who has been incarcerated multiple times while struggling with addiction. She shares her thoughts on the detachment common among journalists who cover the justice system and how their relationshi...

Jun 03, 2017•1 hr 5 min

Shut Down Rikers Island feat. Akeem Browder

Brian Sonenstein and Kim Wilson speak with Akeem Browder, founder of the campaign to Shut Down Rikers Island and the Kalief Browder Foundation . Akeem’s brother, Kalief, died by suicide in 2015 after spending three years at the notorious jail complex. His tragic story helped catalyze reform efforts in New York City. During the interview, Akeem tells the story of his own unjust arrest and experiences on Rikers as a young teenager, years before Kalief's incarceration. He relates how they both expe...

May 11, 2017•1 hr 10 min

Abolition By Any Means Necessary feat. Five Mualimm-ak

In this candid and personal interview, Brian Sonenstein and Kim Wilson speak with Five Mualimm-ak about his life, reintegration, and why he's fighting to abolish prisons by any means necessary. In the late 1990s, Five was a community leader and successful real estate investor until he was convicted of crimes he didn't commit. He spent 12 years in prison, including 5 years in solitary confinement. On the day of his release, Five had a panic attack that landed him in the emergency room and then at...

May 05, 2017•1 hr 22 min

Are Prisons Obsolete? (YES!)

Do we need prisons? This week, Kim Wilson and Brian Sonenstein discuss Angela Davis' book, "Are Prisons Obsolete?" The book is an excellent starting point for people who are new to prison abolition and for anyone who wants to better understand the prison industrial complex. Kim and Brian pick out some of their favorite sections, digging deeper into topics like the inevitability of prisons and the religious foundations of incarceration. They also talk about the various struggles facing incarcerat...

Apr 27, 2017•1 hr 8 min

Radical scholars and prison abolition feat. Dr. Anthony Monteiro

Kim and Brian talk with Dr. Anthony Monteiro, who is a long-time prison abolitionist, activist, scholar, and one of the foremost authorities on the scholarship and life of W.E. B. Du Bois. We discuss Dr. Monteiro 's work as a prison abolitionist, the influence that Du Bois and James Baldwin had on him, and how their writings remain relevant today. Dr. Monteiro answers the question "what does it mean to be human?" --- Please listen, subscribe, and rate/review our podcast on iTunes. Send us tips, ...

Apr 17, 2017•1 hr 8 min

← Prev

Hosted on Libsyn

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android