The PA Prisons and Parole Podcast

In this episode we speak with Dr. Nancy Rodriguez from the University of California-Irvine about a multi-state project that she and several of her colleagues have been conducting for the past five years to examine the causes and consequences of prison violence.  As this project is now coming to a close, Dr. Rodriguez shares with us some of the major findings from the project.  She also shares relevant practical implications for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

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In this episode we continue to remember the life and legacy of Mark Kleiman.  We review perhaps his most important practical contribution to the field, what he called Swift, Certain, and Fair (SCF) Supervision.  The principles of SCF Supervision were laid out in in his 2009 book, “When Brute Force Fails.”  We discuss various ways that the PA Department of Corrections has implemented the principles of SCF Supervision.

Additional Resources on “When Brute Force Fails” and SCF Supervision:

1. Order a copy of “When Brute Force Fails”
2. PDF version of early copy of “When Brute Force Fails”
3. PA DOC review of WBFF in “Research In Review”
4. PEW review of HOPE
5. “Fixing The Parole System” article
6. SCF Resource Center link
7. Mark Kleiman video: “Filling Up Prisons Without Fighting Crime”

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Mark Kleiman was a special friend to the PA Department of Corrections, partnering with us on many initiatives over the years such as assisting in incorporating the principles of swift, certain, and fair (SCF) supervision into practice, in-prison violence reduction initiatives, and other evaluation and innovation efforts.  This special episode is a tribute to the life and legacy of Mark Kleiman.  We discuss his personal and professional connections with us, his many efforts to help us improve as an organization over the years, and his broader legacy to the field.

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