Voices Unlocked
We share unvarnished stories from inside America's federal prison system to touch hearts and change minds.
Episodes
10 episodes since 2023
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...
July 16, 2024
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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 ...
April 03, 2024
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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.
February 20, 2024
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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...
February 20, 2024
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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...
January 07, 2024
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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...
November 25, 2023
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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...
October 15, 2023
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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...
September 26, 2023
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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 ...
August 31, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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15:16
Feeling Voiceless
In this first episode of Voices Unlocked, co-hosts Pam Bailey and Shaka Long interview Rob Barton, incarcerated in a high-security federal penitentiary in Florida. "There are walls around the jail, and then gates; actually, we can't even see th...
August 31, 2023
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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27:55