A podcast about prisons. Hosted by Profs Eric Bronson and Beck Strah. Brought to you by Roger Williams University School of Justice Studies

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/6/17/560f5965-71e2-4b13-9c20-95a085551ed2_mkultra.mp3

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)

Drugs Studies and MKUltra in Prisons

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/17/0/99ae60b6-d31f-4924-b7b7-4888f1ec9b9a_newsblues.mp3

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.

Prison News 8/31/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/16/23/d6ccd92b-fa6d-4026-8ced-4e86d00c2d1e_leary.mp3

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).

Dr. Timothy Leary and the Concord Prison Experiment

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/4/18/35a9f3b5-0fd6-456c-80e5-4a38510284bd_newnewnewnews.mp3

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.

Prison News 8/17/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/4/18/2af985f0-bc3a-4c08-90d2-48fc5ba404b6_ilprisonsweepstakes.mp3

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&#39;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

The Illinois Prison Sweepstakes

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/26/16/5b185f94-251a-4b32-a729-332a400761da_news726.mp3

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

Prison News 8/3/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/26/0/3680a8e0-c6c1-404c-8447-f04fffc36e66_jackie.mp3

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)

Interview with Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/19/22/1c8bf533-d7fd-4452-ba15-a57d0f1c39aa_newsspense.mp3

Professor Beck Strah, Producer Brit, and Media Consultant Spenser discuss several federal prison closures, an update on the Prairieland case, plus Brit&#39;s Picks, Beckommendations, and Spenser&#39;s Gifts.

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

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/11/17/4b1bfc95-6635-4a2f-9096-b763b25e3615_snipesfinal.mp3

Professor Beck Strah, Producer Brit, and Media Consultant Spenser discuss Wesley Snipes&#39; crimes, idiosyncrasies, trial, and imprisonment.

Wesley Snipes goes to Prison (feat. Spenser Hodge)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/5/23/6998d291-e750-4e16-aa74-98807a829f7c_newsnews.mp3

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

Prison News 7/6/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/28/21/7f400309-d105-4405-8521-403e69766fe7_vikchoprafinal.mp3

Professors Beck Strah and Eric Bronson talk to Vik Chopra from the Concrete Mama Podcast and Unincarcerated Productions, with topics ranging from Vik&#39;s incarceration, building a media platform, peer support in prison, prison subcultures, restorative justice, and Vik&#39;s abs. follow Vik&#39;s work on Instagram @unincarceratedproductionsor listen to Concrete Mama wherever you get podcasts

Interview with Vik Chopra (from Concrete Mama Podcast)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/14/20/c7e3fe49-77eb-466b-91a5-e25548a92a7e_news9final.mp3

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 News 6/22/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/14/19/291298c0-22e8-4953-8586-56e33e5850d4_fifeanddrum.mp3

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

Prison Chowdown: The Fife & Drum

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/24/23/2e1dacc0-60f6-4b7f-bb59-a031ce0535b5_news8final.mp3

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.

Prison News 6/8/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/24/22/0e06c046-df68-48f6-89da-6852cdd83787_brawlfinal.mp3

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

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

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/24/22/ad5f9ca2-c733-4934-bfdb-dc1a35b67865_news7final.mp3

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.

Prison News 5/25/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/10/19/d42ad735-04ba-4cf7-a7e7-1b1fadbf6391_prisonbreakdown80.mp3

Professors Eric Bronson and Beck Strah discuss Steve Buscemi&#39;s Animal Factory (2000)

Movie May-nute: Animal Factory (2000)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/10/19/fdd57e10-87fc-4351-a54a-1892f373c424_news6.mp3

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.

Prison News 5/11/26

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/4/27/17/c8088d8b-3785-4dbe-ab86-8486a40c59d8_prisonbreakdown77final.mp3

Professor Beck Strah, Producer Brit, and Media Consultant Spenser Hodge discuss former Subway mascot Jared Fogel, his rise, his media coverage, his cultural impact, his crimes, and of course: his imprisonment. Producer Brit also reviews Crime 101 (2026).  Follow Spenser on IG: @numetalkvlt

Jared Fogel Goes to Jail (feat. Spenser Hodge)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/4/25/21/7d6f881e-880e-4935-9cd5-39ee71e7ed77_news6final.mp3

Professor Beck Strah, Producer Brit, and Media Consultant Spenser Hodge weigh in on a pizza smuggling ring, two deaths at the Dayton Correctional Facility, a Texas court of appeals overturning a death row sentence, Brit’s Picks, Beccomendations, and Spenser’s Gifts. Follow Spenser on IG: @numetalkvlt

Prison News 4/27/26 (feat. Spenser Hodge)

A Podcast About Prisons

A podcast about prisons. Hosted by Profs Eric Bronson and Beck Strah.

Brought to you by Roger Williams University School of Justice Studies