Prison Breakdown

Prison News 9/28/26

Professors Eric Bronson and Beck Strah discuss the upcoming parole hearing of the Manendez brothers and Republican candidates using prison labor in Oklahoma to politicall

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 p

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 Jo

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

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

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 exp

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 lettuc

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 priso

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-

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 popu

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, Beckommen

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.

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. 

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, bui

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. 

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

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

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

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

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 D

Movie May-nute: Animal Factory (2000)

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