Topic: Solitary Confinement

The guests clarify that while they support inmate work for skill-building, they oppose the exploitative wages of the current system. They cite examples from Virginia Correctional Enterprises where inmates earn 54 cents an hour making furniture that retails for hundreds of dollars. In some cases, an inmate must work three hours just to afford a single bottle of water from the commissary because the prison tap water is undrinkable.

The conversation addresses the psychological toll of prison, particularly in solitary confinement, where inmates may lash out simply to exert a sense of control over their environment. Dr. Hattery notes that 20% to 30% of the current prison population is incarcerated solely because they cannot afford cash bail or administrative fines. They argue that providing a pathway for inmates to earn fair wages to pay off these debts would be more productive than the current system.

The guests criticize the militarization of police forces, citing the use of combat gear in Ferguson and Portland. They contrast the American "punitive" model with the rehabilitative prison systems in Norway and Switzerland, noting that American wardens often visit these countries but fail to implement any of their humane practices. The interview concludes with the guests directing listeners to their website, smithandhattery.com, for further research and their blog.

Nick Bryant details the case of Alicia Owen, a victim in the Franklin scandal who was sentenced to prison and solitary confinement for refusing to recant her testimony. Despite facing hundreds of years in potential sentences, Owen remained steadfast in her accounts of abuse against the Nebraska power structure.

Alicia Owen and Paul Benassi were two victims who refused to recant their abuse allegations and were subsequently indicted for perjury by a corrupt grand jury. Owen faced hundreds of years in potential prison time and was ultimately sentenced to nine to fifteen years, including two years spent in solitary confinement. Despite the legal persecution, both Owen and Benassi eventually managed to build successful private lives after their release.