How To Academy Podcast Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman — The Human Cost of Alabama's Prison System
Dec 16, 2025
In a gripping discussion, filmmaker Andrew Jarecki and documentary collaborator Charlotte Kaufman share their harrowing experiences inside Alabama's prison system. They delve into the shocking realities faced by inmates, including the abuse and deaths like that of Stephen Davis. The duo reveals how prisoners used contraband phones to document their lives and organize protests, advocating for change in a corrupt environment. They explore parallels between U.S. and U.K. prison challenges, emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and reform.
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Alabama Shows A National Prison Pattern
- Alabama's prison abuses reflect broader US prison problems of secrecy and lack of accountability.
- Contraband cell phones uniquely exposed Alabama, but the underlying dysfunction exists nationwide.
Access Through A Revival Meeting
- The filmmakers were allowed into Easterling Prison to film a revival meeting, an unusual access granted 'against all the rules.'
- After chaperones shut down the visit, incarcerated leaders used cell phones to continue communicating with the filmmakers.
Phones Turned Into Political Tools
- Contraband cell phones became a political tool inside Alabama prisons from about 2013 onward.
- Incarcerated men used phones to document abuse and to organize nonviolent protests and strikes.