Advertise on podcast: The PA Prisons and Parole Podcast

What happens when we interview AI itself about the future of AI in corrections?  For the first time on the podcast, our guest isn’t human. Meet Dr. PracaBot, an AI bot with an honorary doctorate and plenty of opinions, for a completely unscripted conversation about how artificial intelligence could transform corrections—from prison safety and recidivism reduction to risk assessment, reentry, and the correctional workforce.

What happens after lawmakers pass criminal justice reform? Eventually, somebody has to ask: Did it actually work? In this episode, Bret Bucklen and Matt Kleiman (Executive Director of the PA Commission on Sentencing) discuss two major evaluations required under Pennsylvania’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative 2 (JRI2)—Short Sentence Parole and the State Drug Treatment Program—and what the data reveal when policy promises meet real-world outcomes.

What happens when a Pennsylvania prison unit is built around dignity, normalization, and human-centered design—and then tested with real science? Recorded onsite inside SCI Chester’s nationally recognized “Little Scandinavia” unit, this episode features Dr. Jordan Hyatt (Drexel University) sharing the philosophy behind the model and early results from a randomized controlled trial on violence, misconducts, and staff wellbeing.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections recently developed a new five-year strategic plan – a roadmap for becoming a more intentional, data-driven organization.  This episode features a discussion with Randee Brant (Chief of Staff for the PA DOC) about why the department chose this moment to develop a strategic plan, how the goals and measures were built, and what it will take for the plan to move the organization forward over the next five years.

Results are in from the most rigorous evaluation to date of Pell-funded college programs in prison. In this episode, Dr. Sarah Tahamont (University of Maryland) joins Pracademically Speaking to unpack findings from Pennsylvania’s randomized controlled trial of Second Chance Pell—and what the evidence really says about recidivism, employment, and the limits of impact at scale.

In this episode, Dr. Bucklen discusses what it means for a program, policy, or practice in corrections to be “evidence-based.”  This label gets applied frequently to all sorts of programs, policies, and practices in corrections but less examined is the strength and quality of the evidence.  Dr. Bucklen also discusses cost-benefit analysis, and why effectiveness alone isn’t the finish line.  This episode lays out practical advice for corrections leaders and policymakers to become better consumers of the research and science in order to truly become evidence-based.

In this episode, we discuss a recently completed evaluation of the Personal Growth program for technical parole violators.  The guest on the show is Dr. Amber Petkus, joint post-doctoral fellow with Penn State University and the PA Department of Corrections.  We also talk with Dr. Petkus about her experience as a post-doc at the PA DOC.  She reflects on her time with us as she prepares to move on.

Visiting incarcerated loved ones can be an intimidating process—but it doesn’t have to be! The key to a successful visit is to be prepared and know what to expect. In this episode of the PA Prisons and Parole Podcast, SCI Camp Hill Sgt. Lopez breaks down the visiting experience for visitors, including how to set up a visit, what to bring, what to wear, how to visit with kids, and so much more. For full details on visiting one of our facilities, visit our website: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/cor/inmate-visitation

In this episode we revisit three previously conducted evaluations by the PA Department of Corrections: 1) Therapeutic Communities (TCs); 2) the SIP-HOPE pilot program; and 3) a residential relocation pilot program. These evaluations highlight the use of multiple rigorous evaluation methodologies (randomized controlled trial, regression discontinuity, and propensity score matching) for attempting to understand the real causal impact of these initiatives/programs.  On this episode you’ll learn more about these three initiatives/programs, the findings from the evaluations, and what the implications are for policy and practice.

It can be a very challenging time for family members and friends when a loved one is incarcerated—especially at the beginning. To help answer some common questions about the reception process, SCI Camp Hill Corrections Classification Treatment Manager Miranda Brechbiel joins the podcast to discuss what in-processing is like for incarcerated individuals. Camp Hill is the reception facility for male inmates, and Miranda explains how reception works, including when inmates can make phone calls, what they bring from the county jails, and so much more. The best resource for families and friends of inmates is our website: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/cor/resources/for-family-and-friends

A successful reentry hinges on securing a job, so many of the reentry efforts in the Department of Corrections are focused on teaching incarcerated individuals useful job skills for when they get out. While many are in traditional trades, SCI Pine Grove began a new partnership with The Last Mile to teach inmates a unique … Continue reading "Coding and Corrections: How The Last Mile Prepares Inmates for Careers in Computers"

Staff wellness is an under-appreciated component of corrections historically.  The field is just now starting to pay more careful attention to this important topic, but how do we measure the effectiveness of staff wellness initiatives?  Outcomes in this area tend to be a bit more squishy than say recidivism rates or in-prison assault rates.  In … Continue reading "Episode 16: Staff Wellness (Kayla Franklin)"

In honor of Military Appreciation Month, our guest for this month’s episode is Jennifer Spitler, regional program outreach coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Military Affairs. Jennifer shares about the variety of ways DMVA supports veterans in the DOC—which is the largest employer of veterans in Pennsylvania—including participating in veterans expos at DOC facilities or … Continue reading "How DMVA Supports Veterans in the DOC"

While a major focus of the Department of Corrections is preparing incarcerated individuals for reentry, victims of crime can never be overlooked. Fortunately, the DOC has a strong relationship with the Office of Victim Advocate! In this episode, Commonwealth Victim Advocate Suzanne Estrella joins the podcast to discuss the many ways her office works within … Continue reading "Respecting Victims While Preparing for Reentry"

In this episode, Dr. Bret Bucklen discusses a new report released by his team this month, which is a cost-benefit analysis of the use of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT).  The study compares the benefit-to-cost ratio for four different types of MATs that are currently used by the PA Department of Corrections: Revia, Vivitrol, Suboxone, and Sublocade.  … Continue reading "Episode 15: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)"