Prison Breakdown

Prison Pen Pals (feat. Madi Stevens)

Professors Beck Strah, Eric Bronson, and their former student Madi Stevens discuss 9/11, prison pen pals, prison hobbycrafts, predatory prison e-mail services, untoward pen pal behavior, and Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary (1997)

Prison News 9/14/26

Professors Eric Bronson and Beck Strah discuss the death of an inmate in the hands of the Clackamas County Jail, and unbearable heat conditions in Alabama Prisons, and Joe Arpio

Drugs Studies and MKUltra in Prisons

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson discuss the history of psychedelic studies behind bars, Whitey Bulger, the CIA’s use of psychedelics on prisoners for their MKUltra studies, and The Client (1994)

Prison News 8/31/26

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson discuss prison abuses in Ohio, Buc-ee’s litigious culture and the pushback, sexual abuse in California prisons, and private prison companies pulling in record profits.

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Dr. Timothy Leary and the Concord Prison Experiment

Professors Eric Bronson and Beck Strah discuss Dr. Timothy Leary, his history and beliefs as a clinical psychologist, MCI Concord partnering with Harvard, Dr. Leary’s experiments with psilopcybin, his accounts of his experiments, subject accounts, and long-term observances. Producer Brit reviews Primal Fear (1996).

Prison News 8/17/26

Professor Beck Strah and Producer Brit discuss Murder 2 convicts in Pennsylvania getting a new lease on life, felony murder, the prison-industrial link to diarrhea lettuce, some Brit’s Picks, and Beckommendations.

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The Illinois Prison Sweepstakes

Professor Beck Strah and Producer Brit discuss a 7-Layer Dessert Dip, family podcasts, Flora, Illinois’s bid to get a prison in their town, Brown County’s bid for a prison and prison experience night, an early viral rap song, and The Last Seduction (1994) Chief Ed Guyott and the Long Arm of the Law Band - All We Want'sa Prison - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZVrckq-D-c Barbed Wire Choir - Is We Is - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5-d2WOgpfQ

Prison News 8/3/26

Professor Beck Strah and Producer Brit discuss the best cereals, protests over prison conditions in Wisconsin, felon disenfranchisement, an innocent man serving a record-setting prison tenure, and Israel using crocodiles as prison guards

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Interview with Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott

Professor Beck Strah interviews criminology professor and author Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott about art in prison, restorative justice programs, working with incarcerated populations, psychopathy, and Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)

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Prison News 7/20/26 (feat. Spenser Hodge)

Professor Beck Strah, Producer Brit, and Media Consultant Spenser discuss several federal prison closures, an update on the Prairieland case, plus Brit's Picks, Beckommendations, and Spenser's Gifts.

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Wesley Snipes goes to Prison (feat. Spenser Hodge)

Professor Beck Strah, Producer Brit, and Media Consultant Spenser discuss Wesley Snipes' crimes, idiosyncrasies, trial, and imprisonment.

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Prison News 7/6/26

Professors Eric Bronson and Beck Strah discuss prison mail digitization services and new laws in Florida allowing the death penalty for child abuse.

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Interview with Vik Chopra (from Concrete Mama Podcast)

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson talk to Vik Chopra from the Concrete Mama Podcast and Unincarcerated Productions, with topics ranging from Vik's incarceration, building a media platform, peer support in prison, prison subcultures, restorative justice, and Vik's abs. follow Vik's work on Instagram @unincarceratedproductions or listen to Concrete Mama wherever you get podcasts

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Prison News 6/22/26

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson discuss a stay of execution in Alabama, and an epidemic of suicide within solitary confinement at Mississippi state prisons.

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Prison Chowdown: The Fife & Drum

The boys take a trip to The Fife & Drum restaurant, a one-of-a-kind culinary program at Northeastern Correctional Center in Concord, MA. Also, Producer Brit reviews Mercy (2026).

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Prison News 6/8/26

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson discuss lenient sentences for inmate sexual assault in New Mexico, a promising new college program in California, and toilet flush limiters in prisons.

Movie May-nute: Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)

Professors Eric Bronson and Beck Strah discuss Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017).

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Prison News 5/25/26

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson discuss the Louisiana Prison System and Gov. Jeff Landry “tough on crime” policies, as well as a call to remove Michigan’s Prison Director due to some deaths at a women’s facility.

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Movie May-nute: Animal Factory (2000)

Professors Eric Bronson and Beck Strah discuss Steve Buscemi's Animal Factory (2000)

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Prison News 5/11/26

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson discuss a Louisiana Sheriff accused of malfeasance, Bronson’s recent student trip to the Angola Prison rodeo, Angola’s unfortunate conversion to migrant detention, and a mother’s attempt to break her son from prison.

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