Bending Bars: Recent Episodes
Jim Flanagan
A podcast about a civics education program in prisons that is transforming felons into productive citizens.
Hosted by Jim Flanagan, Executive Director of the Prison Civics Education Program by Sensible School.
Jump into this interesting conversation with Jim Flanagan and Daniel Camacho about how using a data-driven approach to reading Plato in prison is changing lives and reducing crime.
Tune in as Jim Flanagan talks with Prison CEP Sensible School graduate Elmo Golden about how civics education in prison is breaking the generational cycle of crime.
Learn how a former Indiana prison inmate is not only thriving after reentry, but also helping others and GROWING INDY!
Listen in as Jim Flanagan has a conversation with Richard Samuels about what he is doing in the community.
Learn how future attorney Lydia Henderson learned about the criminal justice system by teaching civics in prison.
On this episode of the Bending Bars Podcast Executive Director Jim Flanagan interviews Florida Atlantic University pre-law student Bridgette Spiddle. Bridgette was inspired by Kim Kardashian to study law and intern with the Civics Education Program by Sensible School at South Bay Correctional Facility. Her passion is in fighting for the rights of the disadvantaged and marginalized.
Want to learn how a small civics class in a South Florida prison is making waves in Honduras? Enjoy this conversation between Bending Bars Executive Director Jim Flanagan and program graduate Paul Ebanks.
Learn how the Bending Bars Civics Education Program by Sensible School is changing lives. Not only for the justice-involved graduates, but also for friends, family, and communities. Today we interview program graduate Mancito Telfort and Certell CEO Fred Fransen.
Learn the story of Ben Volpe and how he is making a positive impact on society after a not so great start!
His goal is to go from Prison to Podcast star! He will be the host on Season 2 of this podcast!!!
Imagine going to prison as a juvenile thinking you have a life sentence and then getting out after spending 30 years behind bars!! Ruben Brown, who participated in the Civics Education Program at South Bay Correctional in Florida, has returned home, is rebuilding his life, and is flourishing.
Enjoy this informative interview with Brent Orrell. He is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute where he works on job training, workforce development, and criminal justice reform. His commentary on the value of a liberal arts education for prisoners is an essential part of the broader narrative shift re-shaping our approach to education for the incarcerated.
Laura Bates, Ph. D., Professor of Literature at Indiana State University, joins us to discuss how she smuggled Shakespeare into a Supermax! The author of, "Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard," Laura will provide valuable insight as to why inmates are being transformed by reading one of the literary greats of all time.
Today, we ask Fred Fransen, Ph. D., CEO & Founder of Certell and Sensible School, if civics can really help felons become productive citizens. His approach, in combining course content with technology, is accelerating the growth of our program not only in Florida but nationwide.