July 9, 2025 • 15 mins
Funding Mass Incarceration is a podcast that follows the money behind Delaware’s prison system—and asks why we keep paying to punish instead of reform.
This episode, we dig into how taxpayer dollars fuel mass incarceration, waste resources, and uphold systems of injustice. We break down government budgets, expose hidden costs.
We don’t just talk about the problem—we imagine what true reform could look like. From decarceration strategies to budget transparency, we explore real solutions that prioritize rehabilitation, community investment, and human dignity over punishment and profit.
If you believe the system is broken—and want to understand how to fix it—this is the podcast for you.
Join us. Follow the money. Demand reform.
Be sure to sign up for our free online workshop coming up in August.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZgqmNIeP8ycdlSH-OnnG3HiHJA2mwt-yVswEwpx0JMhhhSA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=111734411876530532333
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Welcome back to Stories BehindThe Walls, the podcast where we
talk about the truth hidden fromview, the stories nobody wants
to tell, and the reality behindthe system that claims to serve
us.
I'm your host, Annabel.
Okay, today we're gonna have anhonest conversation about
(00:27):
something that should make everysingle taxpayer in Delaware and
honestly anyone who cares aboutjustice, absolutely furious.
We're gonna talk about ourbroken prison system stone.
The utter waste of public funds,the total lack of meaningful
(00:49):
rehabilitation.
And the reality that if youdon't speak up and hold people
accountable, nothing changes.
This isn't going to becomfortable, but I think you'll
agree it is necessary.
I wanna share today a what hasreally become obvious in the
(01:12):
last couple weeks.
Over the last few days, we havebeen reaching out everywhere.
We emailed the Wilmington CityCouncil, our senators.
We have shared our concernsabout prison conditions,
(01:34):
wasteful spending, and thedesperate need for reform,
telling them to step up and takereal action.
And today we emailed ourgovernor Matt Meyer, and you
know what?
It seems like he is the only onewho ever gets anything done.
(01:58):
That's not how this is supposedto work.
We shouldn't have to fight andbeg and plead and go all the way
to the governor's office just tosee action on problems This
obvious.
Problems this serious.
This should be something ourentire state government is
(02:20):
tackling together.
But unfortunately, so far whatwe're seeing is silence, except
from the governor's office, andI want to say that clearly
because it matters when peoplewanna talk about accountability
(02:40):
and transparency.
They often forget that realchange happens only when someone
at the top actually listens andacts.
So let me be clear.
I'm grateful to the governor'soffice for responding, for
taking us seriously, foractually doing something when
(03:01):
other parts of the governmenthave failed to.
But here's the thing, that's notgood enough.
Okay.
We can't keep playing this gamewhere the Department of
Correction ignores us for sixdays straight.
While mold grows in the vents,the roof leaks on inmates and
(03:23):
taxpayers get built millions ofdollars, millions for repairs
that don't actually fixanything.
We can't just keep going to thegovernor every time because
nobody else will do their job.
And that is why today we'regonna talk about the system
(03:46):
because this isn't just about aleaky roof or mold on the wall.
This is about a mindset.
A mindset that says they're justinmates.
Who cares?
A mindset that says, sure, let'ssign off on$2 million for new
cameras.
(04:07):
While we ignore that thebuilding is literally falling
apart, because that makes sense.
A mindset that says, as long asthe budget keeps growing, we're
doing great.
We have to break that mindset.
If we want any hope for realreform.
(04:28):
Let's get into the numbersbecause listen, I'm, I'm not
just, this is not an opinion.
This is facts.
I have done my due diligence.
I have researched thisthoroughly.
These are facts that Delawareansshould really be concerned
about.
I'm a taxpayer.
I'm sure you're a taxpayer.
(04:51):
So let's talk about this.
Delaware Department ofCorrection runs on a budget of
roughly.
400 to$420 million a year herein the state of Delaware.
Listen, all this information isavailable publicly online.
If you'd like, I could put thelinks on this podcast and you
(05:11):
can research it for yourself sothat you can see that this is
not just someone telling younumbers that aren't actually
true, and on top of that 400 to$420 million they receive yearly
on their budget.
They get another 10 to 20million annually from Capital
Bond bill.
(05:32):
That's your money, my money,every Delawareans money.
But what do they actually getfor that?
What do we actually get forthat?
Because I've looked at it, wefiled Freedom of Information Act
requests.
It's A-F-O-I-A request.
It's under Delaware's, FOIA, lawTitle 29, chapter 100.
(05:57):
The law that law is, is listen.
That law is there so we thepublic can see exactly how our
money is being spent.
So I have submitted this requestasking for vendor invoices and
receipts.
Who they have claimed that theyused$4 million to replace a
(06:20):
roof.
They claim they used$2 millionfor new security cameras at the
Howard R Young CorrectionalInstitute, while inmates
literally have water leakingonto them in their cells and
mold growing in the walls and inthe air veins.
And what's their fix?
They just paint over the mold.
(06:43):
Do.
Do you know what mold does topeople?
Do you know how much of a healthhazard mold is to people?
And that's their fix to justpaint over it, but let's spend$2
million on some camera.
That's not maintenance, that'snot fixing the problem, that's
(07:03):
hiding it.
That's neglect.
And let's be real.
That is corruption becausesomeone got paid.
You paid them.
I paid them.
And the problem is still there.
We can talk about SmyrnaCorrectional Facility.
They claim they installed a newHVAC system, but they have
(07:25):
buildings that still don't haveair conditioning.
How is that acceptable in 2025?
We wouldn't tolerate that in ourschools or in our homes, in our
offices, but somehow it's okayin a prison.
Why?
Because they're inmates, becausethey're easy to ignore.
(07:49):
I'm here to tell you that'swrong, and if you think it
doesn't matter to you, let meme, let me remind you.
You are the one paying it.
It's coming outta your pocketevery week when you get your
check and Uncle Sam takes hiscut.
That money is going to this.
(08:10):
You are paying for broken roofs,for mold infested walls, for
fancy new cameras and buildingsthat are literally falling
apart.
So a building that is literallyfalling apart.
We're gonna put a$2 millioncamera system in.
Make that make sense, Delaware.
And the worst part, you'repaying for a system that isn't
(08:32):
even doing its job.
Listen, prison isn't supposed tojust be punishment.
I'm sorry, it's not, it'ssupposed to be correction.
That's why it's called acorrection facility,
(08:52):
correctional facility.
It is supposed to berehabilitation.
It's supposed to prepare peopleto come back to society and not
re-offend, but that's not whatwe're doing.
We are just warehousing people.
(09:13):
We're giving them nothing to do.
We're offering half-bakedprograms designed by people who
act like grade school studentswhen it comes to.
Rehabilitation.
And then six months before theyget out, maybe we let them take
classes to help them come backinto society.
(09:36):
But they aren't eligible forthese classes in the beginning.
They're not eligible for themduring their long-term sentence.
And why is that?
I, I'm not really sure what'sgoing on here and who's coming
up with these.
Guidelines on therehabilitation.
(09:58):
If we're serious aboutrehabilitation, they'd be
learning from day one.
Day one, they'd be in programsto teach them real trades.
They'd be getting mental healthcare.
Did you know that over 65% ofincarcerated individuals in
(10:20):
Delaware.
Have a diagnosed mental healthillness or substance use
disorder.
Despite this mental healthprogramming receives only a
small fraction of the DOCbudget.
Individuals are often assessedfor mental health while under
(10:41):
the influence leading tomisdiagnose and inadequate care.
Listen, people, these are facts.
Why are we not teaching themfinancial literacy?
How to open a small business,how to actually get a job after
(11:05):
prison.
How to talk to an employer, howto manage money, how to
reintegrate into society and notgo back to crime.
But we don't do that because ifwe're being honest, the system
(11:27):
doesn't want them to leavebecause as long as they stay in
the system, the budget grows.
More inmates mean more funding,more contracts, more
opportunities to spend yourmoney with no real
accountability.
We don't see them as people.
We see them as paychecks.
(11:48):
That is the ugly truth, and it'stime we faced it.
So when I say we've beenemailing city council, our
senators and the governor, Imean it because somebody has to
say, enough is enough.
And let me tell you what'seye-opening.
When we emailed the WilmingtonCity Council silent.
(12:12):
When we emailed our statesenators, nothing so far, but
when we emailed the governor, wesaw action, immediate
responsive, someone finally tookus seriously, and to the
governor's team.
I want to say thank you againbecause even though it shouldn't
have to be this way, it meanssomething that at least one
(12:36):
office in this state islistening.
But we shouldn't have to go tothe top every time.
This is a systematic problem andit needs systematic solutions.
Look, I know people will saythey're criminals.
Who cares?
But here's my answer.
(12:57):
We are paying for them andthey're human beings.
There's someone's son, daughter,father, mother, and if you think
what happens to them in prisondoesn't affect you, think again,
because they're coming back toour neighborhoods, our
workplaces, our communities, andthen when they come out with no
(13:20):
skills, no help and no hope,what do you think is gonna
happen?
They go back to crime, they goback to prison, and we pay for
it all over again.
The arrest, the trial, theincarceration, the broken roof
and moldy walls and overpricedcameras.
It's a cycle designed to failand the only people it benefits
(13:43):
are the ones getting paid.
So what can we do?
We demand better.
We demand re real.
We demand real rehabilitationvocational training day one.
Mental health treatment, realmental health treatment,
(14:04):
educational programs thatactually prepare people for life
outside.
And we demand transparency,FOIA, those records.
Look at those invoices.
Ask your representatives, do youeven know what you're signing
off on?
Or are you just handling,handing them a blank check?
(14:28):
Because it's our money, it's ourcommunity, and it's our
responsibility to fix this.
I wanna thank you for listeningtoday.
I know this wasn't easy and itshouldn't be, but if we care
about justice, if we care aboutpeople, if we care about using
our resources responsibly, it'sa conversation we have to have.
(14:52):
So share this episode.
Talk to your neighbors.
Call your representatives, emailthe governor, the city council,
and the senators.
Don't stop talking about itbecause as long as we stay
silent, nothing will change.
But if enough of us demandbetter, maybe just maybe we'll
(15:15):
finally see the reform we need.
This is Stories behind theWalls.
I'm your host Annabel.
Stay aware, stay informed, andnever stop demanding justice.
Welcome back to Stories BehindThe Walls, the podcast where we
talk about the truth hidden fromview, the stories nobody wants
to tell, and the reality behindthe system that claims to serve
us.
I'm your host, Annabel.
Okay, today we're gonna have anhonest conversation about
(00:27):
something that should make everysingle taxpayer in Delaware and
honestly anyone who cares aboutjustice, absolutely furious.
We're gonna talk about ourbroken prison system stone.
The utter waste of public funds,the total lack of meaningful
(00:49):
rehabilitation.
And the reality that if youdon't speak up and hold people
accountable, nothing changes.
This isn't going to becomfortable, but I think you'll
agree it is necessary.
I wanna share today a what hasreally become obvious in the
(01:12):
last couple weeks.
Over the last few days, we havebeen reaching out everywhere.
We emailed the Wilmington CityCouncil, our senators.
We have shared our concernsabout prison conditions,
(01:34):
wasteful spending, and thedesperate need for reform,
telling them to step up and takereal action.
And today we emailed ourgovernor Matt Meyer, and you
know what?
It seems like he is the only onewho ever gets anything done.
(01:58):
That's not how this is supposedto work.
We shouldn't have to fight andbeg and plead and go all the way
to the governor's office just tosee action on problems This
obvious.
Problems this serious.
This should be something ourentire state government is
(02:20):
tackling together.
But unfortunately, so far whatwe're seeing is silence, except
from the governor's office, andI want to say that clearly
because it matters when peoplewanna talk about accountability
(02:40):
and transparency.
They often forget that realchange happens only when someone
at the top actually listens andacts.
So let me be clear.
I'm grateful to the governor'soffice for responding, for
taking us seriously, foractually doing something when
(03:01):
other parts of the governmenthave failed to.
But here's the thing, that's notgood enough.
Okay.
We can't keep playing this gamewhere the Department of
Correction ignores us for sixdays straight.
While mold grows in the vents,the roof leaks on inmates and
(03:23):
taxpayers get built millions ofdollars, millions for repairs
that don't actually fixanything.
We can't just keep going to thegovernor every time because
nobody else will do their job.
And that is why today we'regonna talk about the system
(03:46):
because this isn't just about aleaky roof or mold on the wall.
This is about a mindset.
A mindset that says they're justinmates.
Who cares?
A mindset that says, sure, let'ssign off on$2 million for new
cameras.
(04:07):
While we ignore that thebuilding is literally falling
apart, because that makes sense.
A mindset that says, as long asthe budget keeps growing, we're
doing great.
We have to break that mindset.
If we want any hope for realreform.
(04:28):
Let's get into the numbersbecause listen, I'm, I'm not
just, this is not an opinion.
This is facts.
I have done my due diligence.
I have researched thisthoroughly.
These are facts that Delawareansshould really be concerned
about.
I'm a taxpayer.
I'm sure you're a taxpayer.
(04:51):
So let's talk about this.
Delaware Department ofCorrection runs on a budget of
roughly.
400 to$420 million a year herein the state of Delaware.
Listen, all this information isavailable publicly online.
If you'd like, I could put thelinks on this podcast and you
(05:11):
can research it for yourself sothat you can see that this is
not just someone telling younumbers that aren't actually
true, and on top of that 400 to$420 million they receive yearly
on their budget.
They get another 10 to 20million annually from Capital
Bond bill.
(05:32):
That's your money, my money,every Delawareans money.
But what do they actually getfor that?
What do we actually get forthat?
Because I've looked at it, wefiled Freedom of Information Act
requests.
It's A-F-O-I-A request.
It's under Delaware's, FOIA, lawTitle 29, chapter 100.
(05:57):
The law that law is, is listen.
That law is there so we thepublic can see exactly how our
money is being spent.
So I have submitted this requestasking for vendor invoices and
receipts.
Who they have claimed that theyused$4 million to replace a
(06:20):
roof.
They claim they used$2 millionfor new security cameras at the
Howard R Young CorrectionalInstitute, while inmates
literally have water leakingonto them in their cells and
mold growing in the walls and inthe air veins.
And what's their fix?
They just paint over the mold.
(06:43):
Do.
Do you know what mold does topeople?
Do you know how much of a healthhazard mold is to people?
And that's their fix to justpaint over it, but let's spend$2
million on some camera.
That's not maintenance, that'snot fixing the problem, that's
(07:03):
hiding it.
That's neglect.
And let's be real.
That is corruption becausesomeone got paid.
You paid them.
I paid them.
And the problem is still there.
We can talk about SmyrnaCorrectional Facility.
They claim they installed a newHVAC system, but they have
(07:25):
buildings that still don't haveair conditioning.
How is that acceptable in 2025?
We wouldn't tolerate that in ourschools or in our homes, in our
offices, but somehow it's okayin a prison.
Why?
Because they're inmates, becausethey're easy to ignore.
(07:49):
I'm here to tell you that'swrong, and if you think it
doesn't matter to you, let meme, let me remind you.
You are the one paying it.
It's coming outta your pocketevery week when you get your
check and Uncle Sam takes hiscut.
That money is going to this.
(08:10):
You are paying for broken roofs,for mold infested walls, for
fancy new cameras and buildingsthat are literally falling
apart.
So a building that is literallyfalling apart.
We're gonna put a$2 millioncamera system in.
Make that make sense, Delaware.
And the worst part, you'repaying for a system that isn't
(08:32):
even doing its job.
Listen, prison isn't supposed tojust be punishment.
I'm sorry, it's not, it'ssupposed to be correction.
That's why it's called acorrection facility,
(08:52):
correctional facility.
It is supposed to berehabilitation.
It's supposed to prepare peopleto come back to society and not
re-offend, but that's not whatwe're doing.
We are just warehousing people.
(09:13):
We're giving them nothing to do.
We're offering half-bakedprograms designed by people who
act like grade school studentswhen it comes to.
Rehabilitation.
And then six months before theyget out, maybe we let them take
classes to help them come backinto society.
(09:36):
But they aren't eligible forthese classes in the beginning.
They're not eligible for themduring their long-term sentence.
And why is that?
I, I'm not really sure what'sgoing on here and who's coming
up with these.
Guidelines on therehabilitation.
(09:58):
If we're serious aboutrehabilitation, they'd be
learning from day one.
Day one, they'd be in programsto teach them real trades.
They'd be getting mental healthcare.
Did you know that over 65% ofincarcerated individuals in
(10:20):
Delaware.
Have a diagnosed mental healthillness or substance use
disorder.
Despite this mental healthprogramming receives only a
small fraction of the DOCbudget.
Individuals are often assessedfor mental health while under
(10:41):
the influence leading tomisdiagnose and inadequate care.
Listen, people, these are facts.
Why are we not teaching themfinancial literacy?
How to open a small business,how to actually get a job after
(11:05):
prison.
How to talk to an employer, howto manage money, how to
reintegrate into society and notgo back to crime.
But we don't do that because ifwe're being honest, the system
(11:27):
doesn't want them to leavebecause as long as they stay in
the system, the budget grows.
More inmates mean more funding,more contracts, more
opportunities to spend yourmoney with no real
accountability.
We don't see them as people.
We see them as paychecks.
(11:48):
That is the ugly truth, and it'stime we faced it.
So when I say we've beenemailing city council, our
senators and the governor, Imean it because somebody has to
say, enough is enough.
And let me tell you what'seye-opening.
When we emailed the WilmingtonCity Council silent.
(12:12):
When we emailed our statesenators, nothing so far, but
when we emailed the governor, wesaw action, immediate
responsive, someone finally tookus seriously, and to the
governor's team.
I want to say thank you againbecause even though it shouldn't
have to be this way, it meanssomething that at least one
(12:36):
office in this state islistening.
But we shouldn't have to go tothe top every time.
This is a systematic problem andit needs systematic solutions.
Look, I know people will saythey're criminals.
Who cares?
But here's my answer.
(12:57):
We are paying for them andthey're human beings.
There's someone's son, daughter,father, mother, and if you think
what happens to them in prisondoesn't affect you, think again,
because they're coming back toour neighborhoods, our
workplaces, our communities, andthen when they come out with no
(13:20):
skills, no help and no hope,what do you think is gonna
happen?
They go back to crime, they goback to prison, and we pay for
it all over again.
The arrest, the trial, theincarceration, the broken roof
and moldy walls and overpricedcameras.
It's a cycle designed to failand the only people it benefits
(13:43):
are the ones getting paid.
So what can we do?
We demand better.
We demand re real.
We demand real rehabilitationvocational training day one.
Mental health treatment, realmental health treatment,
(14:04):
educational programs thatactually prepare people for life
outside.
And we demand transparency,FOIA, those records.
Look at those invoices.
Ask your representatives, do youeven know what you're signing
off on?
Or are you just handling,handing them a blank check?
(14:28):
Because it's our money, it's ourcommunity, and it's our
responsibility to fix this.
I wanna thank you for listeningtoday.
I know this wasn't easy and itshouldn't be, but if we care
about justice, if we care aboutpeople, if we care about using
our resources responsibly, it'sa conversation we have to have.
(14:52):
So share this episode.
Talk to your neighbors.
Call your representatives, emailthe governor, the city council,
and the senators.
Don't stop talking about itbecause as long as we stay
silent, nothing will change.
But if enough of us demandbetter, maybe just maybe we'll
(15:15):
finally see the reform we need.
This is Stories behind theWalls.
I'm your host Annabel.
Stay aware, stay informed, andnever stop demanding justice.
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