Having a loved one incarcerated can be a difficult situation, and it can become doubly difficult when you factor children into the mix. How do we help children deal with the burden of having parents in prison? How do you organize prison visits with children? Julia Lazareck sits down and talks with Neela Hoeppner about the trials and challenges her family faced, and continue to face, during her husband’s incarceration. Neela didn’t always have all
WELCOME TO SEASON 5 of The Hidden Sentence Podcast.
The purpose of this podcast and it's blog is to help educate and empower those who have or had a loved one in prison. Did you know that the chances are very high that someone you know has had a loved one incarcerated? Or maybe you are part of the 50% of the US population* who has or had a loved one in the carceral system? Indirectly we are all affected, and if you have a loved one in prison you are probably doing the time even though you committed no crime. This is the Hidden Sentence. The sentence does not end once your loved one is released either. Depending on the type of release he or she may still need to deal with probation or parole which carries its own set of regulations. So the prison issue continues for an indeterminable about of time. Prison: The Hidden Sentence is about those friends and family members on the outside. We are raising awareness one story at a time.
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*https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-half-americans-have-close-family-member-who-has-been-incarcerated-180971645/
Episode Blogs
Brandi Weiss was thrown into the dark caverns of the prison system when her two sons were incarcerated. Her eldest son went through tumultuous times in his youth and was in and out of prison for 7 years. He now is out of prison and living a successful and happy life. Her youngest son was sentenced at 17 years old to 25 years in prison for a heinous crime. He is one of many
For people behind bars, dying in prison may be the ultimate suffering anyone can experience. We are honored that Dr. Danica Hubbard is sharing her story with us for the first time about her journey and her father’s incarceration. Her bravery and vulnerability are admirable, and anyone who has or had an incarcerated loved one will relate to her story. She describes her father as a successful shapeshifter: a son, old-time radio singer, brother,
A lot of individuals who go to prison don’t get enough support that can help them get out of the muck instead of being mired deeper in it. As a speaker, educator, and community advocate, Robert Van Strawder is passionate about providing that much needed support to incarcerated youth and their families. A lot of this passion comes from his own experiences in inner city struggles and run-ins with the law – a story
Prisons have been around since the beginning of time, and the family members on the outside are the often forgotten victims of incarceration. Joining Julia Lazareck on the show today are Barbara Allan of Prison Families Anonymous and Carolyn Esparza of the InterNational Prisoners Family Conference. Both are founders of their organizations and authored books that contain their wisdom. They also have immense experience in dealing with the prison system and helping families of the incarcerated. In
Addiction is real and does not discriminate. Anyone can fall deep into it and become an addict. While others escape its grasp, not many can say the same thing. There are so many people out there who are suffering from addiction, fighting their way into recovery. Brittany Dodd-Santiago was one of them. Brittany Dodd-Santiago became a reality star when she appeared on Love after Lockup and Life after Lockup. Her memoir, One Woman’s Journey: Surviving the Streets,
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