Alabama’s prison system isn’t just about punishment—it’s a business model. In this episode, we expose how incarceration generates revenue through inmate labor, phone calls, commissary fees, healthcare contracts, and hidden deductions that funnel money out of the poorest communities in the state.

We break down who profits, how the incentives work, and why financial exploitation is baked into daily prison operations—often at the expense of safety, rehabilitation, and public accountability. This is a clear-eyed look at the economics of mass incarceration in Alabama and what it means for incarcerated people, their families, and taxpayers.