Voices Unlocked
We share unvarnished stories from inside America's federal prison system to touch hearts and change minds.
Episodes
13 episodes
Halfway to Nowhere: Navigating Reentry Challenges and Red Tape
What if the pathway to freedom after incarceration was assisted with opportunities rather than riddled with obstacles? Join us as we peel back the layers of the halfway house system, officially known as residential reentry centers, with special...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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39:24
Political Engagement from Within Prison Walls
Civic engagement is essential to a healthy democracy. The traditional form of civic engagement is voting -- a right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, but taken away from most people once they become incarcerated. DC residents, however, have h...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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36:48
Finding Purpose in Prison: the Search for Meaning
Have you ever pondered the purpose of your life? That's a difficult question to answer for anyone, but in prison it's a challenge to answer. In this thought-provoking episode of Voices Unlocked, Pam Bailey and Tee Peters explore this ques...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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23:43
Visiting Hours: Hugs and Heartaches
A simple hug can make a world of difference for someone behind bars. Join us as we sit down with Gene Downing, a former prisoner-turned-advocate, and Robert Barton, co-founder of More Than Our Crimes, to discuss the emotional and logistical lab...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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51:58
Bonding Behind Bars: Parenting from Prison
Imagine being separated from your children by thousands of miles and concrete walls -- for years and even decades. This is the reality that our guests, Robert Davis and Ron Hill, courageously share as they recount their struggle to parent from ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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26:28
Lockdown! Part 2
In the second part of this podcast series about prison lockdowns, we hear from our guests behind bars WHY the federal Bureau of Prisons uses this tactic so much. Watch to see the rather dramatic ending.
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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9:52
Lockdown! Making 'Solitary' the Norm (Part 1)
You've probably heard of solitary confinement in the "hole," and know the mental toll that comes with it. But did you know that "lockdowns" are confining people to their cells for weeks and months at a time in entire prisons? Hosts Conrad Stewa...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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18:53
The Grim Grub of the Incarcerated
When you sit down to your next meal, be thankful for the small joy that good food offers. People in prison long for that same pleasantry. Join Pam Bailey and Irving Brockman as they share the punishing reality of prison food, with insight...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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18:41
Holidays Behind Bars
Have you ever wondered what holidays feel like behind bars? We unlock this topic via an insightful discussion with our guest cohost, Ray Dodd, a formerly incarcerated paralegal, and a "lifer" named Wayne La Fleur, who recites an emotionally cha...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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30:38
The Ripple Effect: Trauma, Crime and Second Chances
Have you ever wondered how childhood trauma influences criminal behavior or wrestled with the decision to forgive? Join us for a riveting episode of Voices Unlocked, in which we explore these thought-provoking questions with three unique guests...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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40:32
Inflation! Even Pennies Count in Prison
Have you ever pondered how inflation affects those far removed from the free market? Join us as we explore the hidden impact of inflation on incarcerated individuals, as shared by Jeremy Fontanez -- currently living behind bars in a federal pri...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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24:36
Prisoners' Fragile Lifelines to the Outside World
The official end of the COVID pandemic means there may be a return to paid phone calls for federal prisoners and their families. In this episode, DC resident incarcerated in a Kentucky federal prison explains all the ways the Bureau of Prisons ...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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15:16