The Hustler Files Ep 126

The Hustler Files Ep 125

Home Grown Hope Behind the Wall 

Mark McBrine grew up on a farm and expected that to be his lifelong calling, but God had another plan. When his father became ill and his family needed help running the farms, Mark, at the age of 49, became a Correctional Officer with the Maine Department of Corrections. From there, it didn’t take long for Mark to become the Food Service Manager at the Mountain View Correctional Facility. When then Warden, Randy Liberty, was interested in reducing the waste inside the prison kitchens, Mark stepped up and created an Organic Fruit and Vegetable Production Program. This Farm to Table program within the Maine Department of Corrections forever changed how food can be grown, harvested, and consumed behind the wall! Mark’s inspiring work in enhancing food quality and providing vocational training to incarcerated individuals across eight state prisons and is now a model for other prisons and jails across the United States. Mark and his team have helped many incarcerated individuals gain skills and knowledge in gardening, harvesting, cooking, and even baking 100% of the prison’s own breads and desserts. The discovery of how innovative agricultural practices and a commitment to scratch cooking continue to change lives and foster responsibility. Much of this can be seen in the documentary Seeds of Change, Breaking Free from the Prison Food Machine. Don’t miss this enlightening discussion that challenges perceptions and highlights the power of compassion and second chances, through food.

The Hustler Files Ep 124

THE POWER OF COACHING IN CORRECTIONS, PART 2

Whether you’re a sports fan or a parent in the stands, there is a distinct difference between the role of the Coach and the role of the Referees. Nowhere is it more apparent than watching the 2025 NFL pre-season games to get a true perspective on the differences. In this, part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Brian Lovins, President of Justice System Partners, Brian shares more about the transformative coaching model he and his other collaborators created back in 2018, how that initial model is now focused on four dimensions of coaching; the Approach, the Connection, the Playbook and the Success, and the importance of accountability, and the real life implications of this innovative model that is evolving and reshaping the experiences of those it was designed for.

The Hustler Files Ep 123

THE POWER OF COACHING IN CORRECTIONS, PART 1

In sports, there are Coaches and there are Referees, but what about in the criminal justice system? That was the question that Dr. Brian Lovins, currently President of Justice System Partners, asked himself during his tenure at the Harris County Correctional System as Assistant Director. During that time, Dr. Lovins was tasked with developing and implementing agency-wide change plans to drive increased successful completion rates of justice-impacted individuals on probation. It was during this time that an ‘ah-ha moment seized Dr. Lovins, and he, along with some collaborators, created the Coach vs. Referee model to emphasize the importance of connection and support for individuals navigating the justice system. These many years later, through research and hands-on experience with the Idaho Department of Corrections, Dr. Lovins and his team have been front and center with the Coach vs. Referee model to help reduce recidivism and foster success by offering a more compassionate and effective approach to justice.

The Hustler Files Ep 122

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Every name has a meaning. The name Gemma refers to ‘a bud ready to grow independently’. Appropriately, this name was chosen by the incarcerated women who originally founded The Gemma Project, a jail and prison reentry program to assist incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women with successful reintegration. While reentry should be mainstream for all incarcerated individuals who are returning to their communities, this important programming is still spotty across the United States, and isn’t always designed with consideration for each individual’s needs. Cynthia Chase, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Gemma Project, has spent 25 years working within the criminal legal system as a dedicated leader and tireless advocate, including as Mayor of Santa Cruz, California. Cynthia highlights the importance of amplifying the voices of justice-involved women and uncovering the stories that challenge societal perceptions.

The Hustler Files Ep 121

DIRECTOR JENIFER MCSHANE & ‘THE QUILTERS’ – STITCHING LIVES TOGETHER

Jenifer McShane never planned on becoming an award-winning independent filmmaker, but life had other plans. From her early work on ‘A Leap of Faith’, narrated by Liam Neeson, to her latest Netflix documentary, ‘The Quilters’, Jenifer shares her journey of storytelling that humanizes those behind both literal, and figurative bars. But it is at the Missouri South Central Correctional Center, a Level 5 State Prison, where Jenifer explores the transformative power of art, the importance of empathy, and the stories that challenge our perceptions of justice and redemption, while bridging the gap between society and the incarcerated.

The Hustler Files Ep 120

THE MANY LIVES OF LARA LOVE HARDIN

Lara Love Hardin is a NY Times best-selling author, including a 2024 Oprah Book Club pick, a 5-time NY Times bestselling collaborative author, a literary agent, a Mother, and a prison reform advocate. She’s also a former addict and justice-involved individual. Lara’s memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing, is the transformational story of her life, her experiences with the criminal justice system, and the stigma surrounding addiction. While her story contains notes of “Wild”, “Orange is the New Black”, and “Catch Me If You Can”, it is the power of storytelling that offered her a means of healing and forgiveness, because as she says, “I want to do what’s true to me”.

The Hustler Files Ep 119

A HUMAN COMPASS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR WAY

In Episode 117, Sheriff Brad Burkhart inspired us with his commitment to help those justice-impacted individuals under his watch return to their communities with a new lease on life. In this episode, we return to Hancock County, Indiana, to meet jail navigator Crystal Petty and former jail resident Danielle Brashear as they discuss the innovative programs implemented at the Hancock County Jail, from education and rehabilitation to reducing recidivism, AND saving Hancock County millions of dollars! Danielle also shares her powerful story of overcoming addiction, regaining her son, and finding her purpose. Her transparency highlights the importance of support systems and community involvement in fostering change, and Danielle is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the potential for redemption.

The Hustler Files Ep 118

ONE MAN’S MISSION FOR CHANGE

From a small-town upbringing, working in construction, to leading the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, in New York State, Sheriff Craig Apple has placed a strong emphasis on programs that have drastically reduced recidivism and received statewide and national recognition. From his day-to-day watch of 748 employees and 800-900 incarcerated individuals, he has built programs that will last long after his time as Sheriff. His triumphs include a Heroin Addiction Recovery Program, a Soldier On program for Veterans, an Inmate Fire Training program and an Inmate Work Force Program, still to him, one of his greatest legacies is a housing area, within the jail, but separate from the incarcerated individuals, that assist the local homeless population. This innovative homeless improvement program, initiated after COVID-19, has given hope and a new lease on life to so many who once walked the streets of Albany.

The Hustler Files Ep 117

PLANTING SEEDS OF HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY

Drawing from his upbringing on an Indiana farm, Sheriff Brad Burkhart’s philosophy is grounded in the idea of “planting seeds of hope and opportunity” for those incarcerated individuals under his watch in Hancock County. With over 38 years of experience in law enforcement, Sheriff Burkhart shares his journey and has seen firsthand that in corrections, there is a need to prepare the ground for individuals to grow and thrive, just like the seeds he planted as a young farm boy. One such preparation is the utilization of the Orijin tablets, which provide incarcerated individuals access to educational resources and vocational training, thus fostering hope and opportunity. It is the transformative power of the tablet initiative, along with other programs behind the wall, that is creating a positive impact and reducing recidivism in the Hancock County community.