HeyJaredPrison Pen Pal Podcast
Many believe prison inmates to be completely undeserving of love or friendship. PenPals.Buzz founder, Big Steve, disagrees. He discusses the value of having a pen pal, both for the inmate and for the free-world individual.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 6
- Latest publication
- Sep 1, 2026
- Audience
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 8, 2026
Latest episodes
From St. Peter, Minnesota: Checking in with Ben Alverson (opens the original)
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Ben Alverson returns to the Prison Pen Pal Podcast for his third appearance, and a lot has changed since we last checked in with him at the Civil Commitment Center in St. Peter, Minnesota. Ben discusses the changes he’s seen in the program, the possibility of moving more quickly toward life outside the facility, and his upcoming court proceedings. He also explains how some people are now making it through the system faster than before—including one friend who went from the facility to having his
What If Your Worst Mistake at 16 Meant Life in Prison? The Nicco Plowden Interview (opens the original)
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On this episode of the Prison Pen Pal Podcast, Big Steve is joined by Nicco Plowden from the Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, New York. Nicco, incarcerated for well over three decades, shares his journey from growing up in Brooklyn in the 1980s, getting caught up in street life, and eventually being sentenced to 55 years to life for crimes committed as a teenager. He talks about the realities of life on the run, the differences between federal and state prisons, and how he stays out
Stories From a Mentally Ill Inmate: Where Fantasy and Certainty Collide (opens the original)
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In this episode, we talk to a prisoner who lives with severe mental illness. He shares stories about his life -- tales of great wealth, global fame, and wild adventures -- that reveal the depth of his personal convictions, even as they depart from reality. Our goal isn’t to challenge his beliefs or judge his narrative, but to listen, and to reflect on the lived experience of mental illness behind bars. This episode offers a window into one man’s world, where fact and imagination are deeply inter
He Wrote to a Woman Serving 40 Years in Prison...Then Married Her (opens the original)
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Erik Beller had a Master's degree in Education, a professional career, and a seemingly good life. But just as things were really starting to fall into place, his brother died of an overdose. Then, on Erik's birthday, his best friend, John, also passed away. These tragic events set Erik on a downward spiral of addiction, homelessness, and ultimately jail. While incarcerated, Erik was beaten, almost to death, by a guard (who was later convicted and served prison time for the assault). Erik spent m
Pen, Paint, and a Lifelong Friendship: Anya Blakeley and Mike Tran (opens the original)
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When Baltimore artist Anya Blakeley walked away from a high-stress job in the criminal legal system, she knew it was time for a change. Anya began searching for meaning and healing in a world that suddenly felt broken. Her journey led her to the Justice Arts Coalition, a group that didn’t just talk about change, but created it by matching incarcerated artists with creative allies on the outside. Enter Cuong Tran, better known as Mike, a self-taught artist behind bars in California, whose raw tal
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