Prison POD Productions
For all of my links in one spot: https://allmylinks.com/valerie-cartonio769 This includes where you can make donations and purchase merchandise. Contact information: Prison POD, P.O. Box 294, Orono, ME 04473 email: prisongram@prisonpod.org 07/05/24 - Website: https://prisonpod.org Those who may be hearing impaired can view on YouTube (link below) and use the Closed Captioning. Season 1 is not available on YouTube. All links pertaining to Prison POD Productions can be found here: https://allmylinks.com/valerie-cartonio769 This podcast is for people who are in jail or prison, and/or affected by incarceration. Using Sociology and Peace Studies to: Save Lives, Restore Hope, Reduce Suffering and Recidivism. The host has 20+ years experience working inside several jails and prisons, providing education in substance abuse prevention, doing HIV testing and counseling, reentry planning, inmate advocacy, and mentoring. This work brought them into various areas of peoples lives including coming home, marriages, births, courts, jail visits...death. Their passion for change has led them to produce this podcast. The people they worked with made a permanent imprint. Recently they published their first book "Notes from the Peaceful Sociologist" reflecting writings about prison work from a unique perspective. You can find it on: thebookpatch.com Save Lives, Restore Hope, Reduce Suffering. Host: Valerie L. Cartonio Facebook page for friends and families - https://www.facebook.com/PeacefulSociologist If you are on the Buzzsprout site - At the top right of this page, little blue f in the white circle.
Episodes
In this episode of the Prison Pod, Valerie Cartonio speaks with Brian Koehn, founder and CEO of Social Purpose Corrections. They discuss the need for reform in the corrections system, focusing on reducing recidivism and improving the culture within prisons. Brian shares his journey from military service to corrections, highlighting the challenges and inefficiencies he observed in the system. He emphasizes the importance of compassi...
- In this episode of the Prison Pod, host Valerie Cartonio speaks with Dr. Karen Gedney, a former prison physician with 30 years of experience in the correctional system. Dr. Gedney shares her journey from being a curious young girl with dreams of becoming a doctor to her unexpected role as a prison doctor, where she faced numerous challenges, including being taken hostage. She discusses her commitment to prison reform and her cu...
In this episode of The Prison Pod, host Valerie Cartonio welcomes Sephria Reynolds-Tanner, a criminal justice and drug policy analyst at the Reason Foundation. Sephria shares her journey from working as a probation and parole officer in Washington to her current role, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based practices in criminal justice reform. She discusses the barriers individuals face upon reentry into society, such as the ...
In this episode of the Prison Pod, Valerie Cartonio speaks with Mitch Pearlstein about the concept of second chance hiring, addressing the myths and facts surrounding the employment of individuals with criminal records. They discuss the economic and ethical necessity of providing job opportunities to this population, the importance of trades and job training, and the role of education and reentry programs. The conversation als...
In this episode of The Prison Pod, Valerie Cartonio interviews rap legend X-Raided, who shares his journey from a troubled past to a successful music career. He discusses the importance of family, the meaning behind his album cover, and the themes of perseverance and hope in his lyrics. X-Raided reflects on his spiritual growth, the significance of being a father, and his upcoming autobiography, emphasizing the importance of person...
In this episode of the Prison Pod, host Valerie Cartonio speaks with Holly Bot, a former inmate who served a 12-year sentence in a Minnesota women's prison. Holly shares her journey from a troubled life marked by depression and a difficult marriage to finding faith and purpose during her incarceration. She discusses the challenges of adjusting to prison life, the importance of coping mechanisms, and the transformative power of...
Summary
In this episode of the Prison Pod, Dr. Robert Mossi Alexander discusses his journey from incarceration to becoming an educator and filmmaker. He emphasizes the transformative power of education in reducing recidivism and shares insights from his documentary 'Reclaiming Our Humanity.' Dr. Alexander also highlights the importance of children's literature in addressing the stigma of incarceration and th...
In this episode of the Prison Pod, Valerie Cartonio interviews Samuel Hunter, founder of Youth Love and Above, a program aimed at rehabilitating youth and preventing them from entering the prison system. Samuel shares his personal journey from incarceration to creating impactful programs that focus on cognitive restructuring and community outreach. The conversation emphasizes the importance of listening to youth, the spiritual foun...
In this episode of the PrisonPod, host Valerie Cartonio speaks with Sobanan Narenthiran, who shares his transformative journey from aspiring doctor to incarcerated individual. Sobanan discusses the impact of his prison experience on his identity, the educational opportunities available in prison, and how he found hope and purpose during his time behind bars. He addresses misconceptions about prisoners, the importance of second chan...
Kara Janssen is formerly incarcerated and works on prison reentry and reform. she is a storyteller and teaches others how to tell their story. Only you can tell your own story from your perspective.
Kara's Linked In: / karaejanssen
We Stand AZ: https://www.alignable.com/glendale-az...
We Stand AZ is "a community-rooted nonprofit dedicated to empowering incarcerated individuals and their love...
In this conversation, Valerie Cartonio interviews John R. Whitman about the Creative Prisons Project, which aims to harness the creative potential of incarcerated individuals. They discuss the challenges of copyright registration for prisoners, the therapeutic benefits of art, and the vast untapped creativity within the prison population. Whitman emphasizes the importance of creativity in rehabilitation and the need for societal ch...
In this episode of the Prison Pod, Valerie Cartonio interviews Madinah Wilson-Anton, a Delaware state representative and comedian. They discuss Madinah's advocacy for social justice, her experiences with vitiligo, and the importance of humor in addressing serious topics. Madinah shares her journey in politics, the significance of community engagement, and the role of faith and hope in her work. The conversation also touches on...
In this episode of the Prison Pod, host Valerie Cartonio speaks with Percy H. Pitzer, a retired warden and founder of the Pitzer Family Education Foundation. They discuss the importance of education in reducing recidivism, the role of inmates in supporting educational initiatives, and the need for community engagement in the rehabilitation process. Percy shares his experiences in the correctional system and emphasizes the necessity...
Hinda - https://www.hindahelps.com/
"Our mission is to empower families affected by institutionalization, trauma, and crisis. Through support and rehabilitation, we foster resilience, restore relationships, and aid reintegration. We envision a future where everyone can heal, thrive, and build a more just, connected society."
(c) 2025 Prison POD Productions
Abby Rabinowitz joins us and talks about the work she does with the Hinda Institute around families and incarceration.
Hinda Institute: https://www.hindahelps.com
CARES: Counseling, Advocacy, Restorative Justice, Education, and Support
https://www.hindahelps.com/templates/...
Lubavitch Rebbe : https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/defau...
(c) 2025 Prison POD Productions
David talks about financial literacy and personal prosperity.
https://thefinancialempowermenthandbo...
https://www.financeiqtest.com/ - Use Prison Pod for free IQ test
(c) Prison POD Productions 2025
Autism Speaks - https://www.autismspeaks.org
Autism Society - https://autismsociety.org
Mediate.com - https://mediate.com
Justin is a successful Construction Estimator & Project Manager in California. He has helped to develop a workbook "The 7 Keys to Financial Literacy", with Marc Vahanian & Pathway to Kinship.
Justin tells how he has overcome obstacles in his life to be successful today.
Velda Dobson-Davis
Velda Dobson-Davis is a retired Chief Deputy Warden from the CDCR and is the Program Coordinator for both Healing Trauma Plus and Beyond Violence Plus programs at the Central California Women’s Facility. Ms. Dobson-Davis is a liaison at the prison for our research team.
https://www.envisioningjusticesolutio...
Recognition:
https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/insidecdcr/20...
https://www.c...
Ken talks about bringing programs together to reduce recidivism and to improve conditions within the prisons.
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
A weekly podcast where host, Robert Smigel, and a rotating panel, his friends, assist callers seeking help in making something in their real life funnier. Anything. A best man speech, a eulogy, a breakup letter, a cover letter, an apology, a Tinder profile - Robert, with a panel of professional comedy writers and comedians, will punch it up and get results. Want help with your writing assignment? Submit it to: speakpipe.com/humorme