logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2021
26m 30s

The career where it helps to have a crim...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Former criminals are being employed to run part of the probation system in one of America’s deeply troubled, gang-ridden communities. It’s a bold new approach to crime prevention, and it seems to be working - young lives are being transformed and reconviction rates are dropping.

Produced and presented by Jo Mathys

Up next
Sep 8
Getting the homeless homed
We visit two projects exploring practical responses to homelessness and housing insecurity. Presenter Myra Anubi travels to Edinburgh to see the work of Social Bite, a charity creating small communities of prefabricated homes on unused land, offering people a stable place to live ... Show More
23m 39s
Sep 1
Saving mothers and babies
In 2017, Spanish engineer Pablo Bergasa began an unusual hobby: to design a new incubator for use in African hospitals. Eight years on, he has sent 200 of his machines around the world, and he estimates they have saved the lives of 5,000 babies. Pablo’s incubator costs just a sma ... Show More
23m 16s
Aug 25
How to have better sex
Sex is one of the few things in life that is available to everyone and is free. But achieving enjoyable sex is not possible for many. Some people are held back by fear, ignorance or culture - others don’t know or understand their rights around sex. For years public health campaig ... Show More
23m 19s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Taking the Risk Out of Fair-Chance Hiring
One in every three US adults has a criminal record that follows them like a lead weight as they look for work. Lina Bankert, managing director and partner in BCG’s Chicago office, and Kathleen St. Louis Caliento, president and CEO of Cara Collective, explain that formerly incarce ... Show More
20m 26s
May 2025
Should we be more open to recruiting social workers with a criminal history?
<p>Inspired by <a href='https://www.mysocialworknews.com/article/ex-politician-takes-council-to-court-for-refusing-to-employ-him-as-a-social-worker'>this news story</a> about Tommy Sheridan this week, our podcast hosts debate the specific factors influencing decisions about emplo ... Show More
1h 2m
Jun 2023
Jon Ponder: Hope for Prisoners (Pt 1)
After 26 years of crime, Jon ironically found hope in prison and committed his life to helping other returning citizens live at levels that they had never dreamed about. His Hope for Prisoners has had over 4,700 clients and boasts a recidivism rate of only 8%, which is over 8 tim ... Show More
30m 36s
Jun 2023
Jon Ponder: Hope for Prisoners (Pt 2)
After 26 years of crime, Jon ironically found hope in prison and committed his life to helping other returning citizens live at levels that they had never dreamed about. His Hope for Prisoners has had over 4,700 clients and boasts a recidivism rate of only 8%, which is over 8 tim ... Show More
30m 43s
Feb 2020
A New Life for Gangs
Liz Waid and Joshua Leo look at the work of Father Gregory Boyle. He works in the most dangerous parts of Los Angeles sharing an important message with gangs there.Check out more Spotlight English content at: www.SpotlightEnglish.com 
15m 1s
Aug 2024
Inside San Quentin
The guys get a one-of-a-kind, uncensored look from the prison’s warden about transitioning from housing many on death row to the rehabilitation prison it is today. Then, hear from an incarcerated man who’s trying to better himself from murderer to mathematician.See omnystudio.com ... Show More
32m 21s
Jun 2022
Criminal Justice Reform
Criminal Justice Reform is touted by the left as a way to reduce over-criminalization in America. Ben explains why this is a very dangerous idea. — Today’s Sponsors: Protect your online privacy with ExpressVPN. Get 3 Months FREE! EXPRESSVPN.com/DEBUNKED Genucel products rely on c ... Show More
12m 4s
Mar 2022
Them Is Womens
Black WIMMENS are consistent trailblazers for social change. This week, the team talks with a representative of an insurance institute creating programs to level the playing field for job applicants with felonies. A compassionate judge joins the conversation breaking all the rule ... Show More
1h 4m
Jul 2025
Episode 21 Legal Rights and Advocacy for Former Offenders Rebuilding Lives Podcast
Overcoming the Odds Imagine this: a former addict, once trapped in the devastating cycle of substance abuse, incarceration, and societal stigma, now walks into a courtroom—not as a defendant, but as a dedicated paralegal committed to helping others rebuild their lives. This indiv ... Show More
18m 56s
Sep 2022
Making the World a Safer Place
<p>All of us want to feel safe in our daily lives. Yet when we think about crime, our first response is often a blanket approach: find the bad guys, and punish them. But what if there were another way? This week on the show, researchers <a href="https://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/peop ... Show More
49m 4s