This week features our second segment on PREA- the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Last week, we heard from Irene, who is being held in the Indiana Women’s Prison. She described her run-ins with PREA, leading to a broader analysis of the failure of prison bureaucracies to meaningfully respond to real abuse. At the same time, she shows how these bureaucracies use PREA to police and prevent even platonic, consensual contact between female prisoners.

This week, we hear statements from other prisoners, and learn more about the history of PREA. We encourage you to listen to Irene in last week’s episode, which you can find here.