We start this episode with a message from Angaza, a prisoner in the IDOC system who describes recent unfair changes in prison correspondence and what people on both the inside and outside are trying to do about it. As of April first, the Indiana Department of Correction is no longer accepting any correspondence for inmates…
Read MoreThis week, we return to the story of Clinton “Boo” Gilkie, who died one year ago- on June 7, 2016- in the Monroe County Jail. We discussed the circumstances of his death in our episode 2 weeks ago, and recommend that you to listen to this episode of Kite Line for more context. Our interview today is…
Read MoreJune 7th marks the one year anniversary of the death of Clinton Gilkie, and so we devote our June 2nd and June 16th episodes of Kite Line to his story and his memory. Clinton “Boo” Gilkie was held in the Monroe County Jail since he was 16 after a failed robbery using a toy gun….
Read MoreOur focus for this episode returns to the impact of incarceration on families. First we have a discussion between our friend Lucy and one of her fellow classmates at Indiana University, Rafael Green, III. Rafael describes having multiple family members in prison during his childhood, and the way that affected both his childhood, and the…
Read MoreIn this episode, we introduce a new topic, going “off-paper.” When prisoners finish their time and re-enter the free world, they confront a whole host of barriers and questions that extend the hold that institutions have on them well past their “on-paper” sentences. To begin, we hear a recently released anarchist prisoner who reflects on…
Read MoreThis week’s episode focuses on the importance of education in prison. We speak with Dr. Scarlett Brooks, who has taught English and writing in several inmate education programs . We also hear some reflections from Maureen, who has experience teaching art in Indiana Prisons. Later, we share a letter written by Zolo, a long-time inmate…
Read MoreOur topic this week is creativity behind bars. We showcase poetry from prisoners working with the Indiana Prisoners’ Writing Project, a piece by Shaka Shakur, entitled “Black Pain”, and a song by local musician Billy Young. Shakur is currently serving time in the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility here in Indiana. Billy Young will speak with…
Read MoreThis week’s episode is the second installment of our Families and Prison series. We speak with April, a formerly-incarcerated mother who works with House of Hope in Martinsville, Indiana. She shares her experiences and thoughts about the issues facing women in prison, as well as the work she has been doing since her release. We…
Read MoreThis week is our first installment of a series covering the impact of prison on families. This episode focuses on Wendi Middleton, who works in the Indiana Women’s Prison with her organization Angel’s Wings, which provides a variety of services to incarcerated women, from newly pregnant mothers to women who became prisoners while being the…
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