On the Rec Yard: Recent Episodes
Jennifer Toon
I spent almost two decades locked up in Texas prisons.
In prison, the rec yard is the hub of social life. It’s where you go to work out, pass contraband, (sometimes fight) but most definitely to hang out with friends and relax.
I created On the Rec Yard as a place where we can still get together, talk and hopefully share our experiences in a way that inspires radical reform of the criminal justice system.
Every woman in prison dreads strip searches. What makes this one of the most dehumanizing practices in prison?
Marci and Toonche explore the Lane Murray unit in Gatesville Texas, where Marci served her time and Toonche was once just a kid there.
Marci and Toonche continue the stuggle in figuring out how to get streaming software to work and discuss random facets of prison life in between.
Systems of violence can only function based on beliefs and ideas that create dehumanization. The "perfect victim" narrative does just that. It proposes that only some people are deserving to be believed, receive empathy, grief and justice. Join us as we discuss how we see this harm reflected in our lives and communities.
In the early 1990's the myth of "superpredator" was instilled into popular culture by politicians and the media. This theory which lingers on as a myth, stated that certain children were inherently evil and ruthless. This label stripped children of basic human dignity. How does this decades old label contribute to the real harm we are seeing with the near collapse of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department? What's the connection?
The one and only, the Incredible Javier was gracious enough to have me on his show. You'll enjoy his postive vibe despite the tough topics surrounding prison life. Check out his channel!
Betsy did over 20 years in TDCJ, from Crain to Murray to Hobby, and she has some insight into how to not just survive but thrive on the outside.
We last saw Lola, and her mouse, being released from the Hobby Unit. She now shares with us how she almost got arrested for a ankle monitor malfunction, and her hopes for the future.
We wait for Lola, who has been locked up over ten years, to be released from the Hobby Unit. Join us as we talk all things prison related and a bunch of random stuff as we wait impatiently for her to emerge from the gates of Hobby hell.
What is life like at the Hobby Unit? Just how bad are the conditions and violence? Is this unit by far the worst of the worst in Texas? Join the discussion with another formerly incarcerated woman who did her time there, as we talk about the neglect and despair often associated with this unit.
Pam is one of only a handful of women who have been freed from the jaws of death row in Texas. Hear her story about what it was like on the row and what freedom means to her now.
There's a song lyric that says, "If you don't use your voice, someone else will speak for you instead." I have found that to be absolutely true. Join the discussion with a fellow podcaster and formerly incarcerated woman Natalie Lugo who understands the power of storytelling and speaking out as a way to create change.
Melissa Lucio, a Mexican-American, is facing execution on April 27, 2022, in Texas for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter Mariah — a crime that never occurred. Mariah died two days after accidentally falling down a steep flight of stairs and Melissa has maintained her innocence on death row for more than 14 years. Join the conversation as we lay out key points in the case and discuss ways to help stop her execution.
I was classified to Lane Murray Unit when I was 18. Nothing had prepared me for what I would face there.
How did we cope with stressful emotions and situations while on the inside? Do we still use these coping mechanisms, unhealthy or not?
What have been your biggest struggles since being released? Relationships? Jobs? Housing?
Discussion about how inequality in Texas prison educational programs affect women, which includes the maltreatment from the guards as they try to access them.
The Texas Juvenile Justice system is a cesspool of abuse. Join my discussion with Angel Carroll, Statewide Leadership Council organizer, and overall badass advocate for youth and emerging adults who are justice system-involved, as we dive into policies and our Juvie experiences.
I talk with the best criminal justice reporter in Texas, The Marshall Project's Keri Blakinger, about her reporting and some rather unique features of the female incarceration experience.
Shuntay and I used to teach peer health education together. This is us discussing Mountain view foolishness, and life on the outside. Oh and a small singing battle between us.
Home after almost 28 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Sean decided he wanted more in life than what circumstances were allowing. Faith and a strong desire to help others pushed him to success.
My friend Marie Sainviluste is doing amazing things with her Youtube channel lifeinhaiti. This formerly incarcerated deportee is now creating powerful, positive change in her community.
Maggie Luna and I discuss the Statewide Leadership Council and why Plane State Jail is the rotted core of the devil's soul.
Wynndi and I discuss doing time in Texas Department of Criminal Justice at the Mountain View unit, the power of positive thinking and that new shiny ring on her finger.