The PA Prisons and Parole Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Coding and Corrections: How The Last Mile Prepares Inmates for Careers in Computers Jun 25, 2025

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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"

Episode 16: Staff Wellness (Kayla Franklin) Jun 09, 2025

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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)"

How DMVA Supports Veterans in the DOC May 28, 2025

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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"

Respecting Victims While Preparing for Reentry Apr 29, 2025

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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"

Episode 15: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Apr 24, 2025

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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)"

How the DOC Connects Employers with Much-Needed Workers Mar 26, 2025

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As we prepare to celebrate Second Chance Month in April, the PA Prisons and Parole Podcast hosted DOC Workforce Development Specialist Dorenda Hamarlund to discuss her work in helping reentrants secure employment. Dorenda shared about barriers to employment for reentrants, how the DOC prepares inmates for employment upon release, and how second-chance hiring can benefit … Continue reading "How the DOC Connects Employers with Much-Needed Workers"

Episode 14: The Recidivism & Desistance Initiative (RDI) (Dr. Lucas Malishchak) Mar 19, 2025

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This episode features a conversation between Dr. Bret Bucklen (Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics) and Dr. Lucas Malishchak (Deputy Secretary of Reentry) on the PA DOC’s brand-new Recidivism & Desistance Initiative (RDI). This initiative was introduced in January 2025 to provide quantifiable public safety goals for the agency and to measure progress towards those goals. It … Continue reading "Episode 14: The Recidivism & Desistance Initiative (RDI) (Dr. Lucas Malishchak)"

Catching Up with Our Other Canine Program Feb 26, 2025

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While the PA DOC’s dog training programs are highly popular throughout the commonwealth, the DOC also features a separate dog program: the Bureau of Investigations and Intelligence K-9 Unit. Capt. John Evans joins the podcast to discuss the vital work his unit performs in keeping contraband out of our facilities. He discusses the training the … Continue reading "Catching Up with Our Other Canine Program"

Episode 13: Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) (w/ Jim Stover) Jan 30, 2025

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This episode is a conversation between Dr. Bret Bucklen and Jim Stover (JRI Coordinator for the PA Department of Corrections) on the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). We discuss what exactly JRI is, and also the history and impact of JRI efforts in Pennsylvania.

SCI Spotlight: Houtzdale and Huntingdon Jan 29, 2025

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Our year-long trip around Pennsylvania comes to a close as we wrap up this series focusing on each of our prisons with a visit to SCI Houtzdale and SCI Huntingdon. The episode begins with Huntingdon Supt. John Rivello discussing the oldest facility in Pennsylvania, including its many vocation opportunities and its relationship with the community … Continue reading "SCI Spotlight: Houtzdale and Huntingdon"

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