Prison is BETTER Than House Arrest - Here's Why. | John Kiriakou

Summary

In this interview, the guest discusses the challenges of re-entering society after serving a prison sentence, highlighting the stress of home confinement and the restrictions that make it even more challenging than prison. He shares his frustration with mandatory drug tests for non-drug offenses and the impact on his life, including losing his pension. The conversation also touches on his experiences with the Bureau of Prisons, including being denied a job in prison reform and his eventual success in advocating for his rights. The guest also introduces 'Panquake,' a new transparent social media platform based in Iceland, aiming to provide a more open and unbiased online experience.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The speaker found home confinement more stressful than prison due to the severe restrictions on movement and constant surveillance.
• 🚫 Non-drug offenders are subjected to frequent drug tests, which the speaker considers a ridiculous and unnecessary practice.
• 🛑 Life after prison is challenging as the individual's life can never return to how it was before incarceration.
• 💼 The speaker's pension was stripped away, and they must work until retirement unless they receive a presidential pardon.
• 🚫 Bureau of Prisons denied the speaker a job offer in prison reform and sentencing reform, deeming it inappropriate for them to comment on such issues.
• 🔄 After standing up for himself, the speaker was allowed to take the job and the restrictions were lifted.
• 🚶‍♂️ The speaker had to endure a long and arduous commute to a meeting, highlighting the difficulties faced by those reintegrating into society after prison.
• 🚫 Mandatory classes for released prisoners were deemed unnecessary by the speaker, who argued against their one-size-fits-all approach.
• 🗣️ The speaker's assertiveness led to the removal of mandatory class requirements and the restoration of his driving privileges.
• 🌐 The speaker is proud of his involvement with a new social media platform, PanQuake, which emphasizes transparency, freedom of speech, and is based in Iceland.
• 📡 PanQuake is blockchain-based, financed by crowdfunding, and positioned as an alternative to mainstream social media platforms like Twitter.

Q & A

How does the speaker describe the experience of getting out of prison compared to home confinement?

The speaker finds getting out of prison more stressful than expected and considers home confinement worse than prison due to the severe restrictions on movement and constant monitoring.

What are the restrictions the speaker faced during home confinement?

During home confinement, the speaker was not allowed to leave the house, faced constant check-ins and drug tests, and had to follow a strict set of rules to avoid violating the terms and returning to prison.

Why did the speaker refuse to take the mandatory classes provided after release?

The speaker refused to take the mandatory classes because they found them irrelevant and a waste of time, as they already knew how to write a resume, balance a checkbook, and did not have a drug or alcohol habit.

How did the speaker handle the situation when threatened with a violation for not attending mandatory classes?

The speaker stood up for themselves, questioned the relevance of the classes to their situation, and eventually got the requirement waived after a confrontation with the authorities.

What job offer was the speaker denied by the Bureau of Prisons?

The speaker was denied the opportunity to work as a senior fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, where they were to focus on prison and sentencing reform issues.

What was the speaker's response when told their job discussing prison reform would be inappropriate?

The speaker decided to take the job anyway and threatened to involve the media if the Bureau of Prisons violated them for doing so, which led to the bureau backing off.

How does the speaker describe the U.S. criminal justice system?

The speaker criticizes the U.S. criminal justice system as 'the dumbest' and points out the high incarceration rate, stating that the U.S. has 4% of the world's population but 25% of the world's prison population.

What is Pan Quake and how does it differ from other social media platforms?

Pan Quake is a new social media platform based in Iceland, known for its transparency, lack of algorithms, and focus on freedom of speech. It is blockchain-based and financed by crowdfunding, aiming to provide a more open and unbiased platform compared to others like Twitter.

Why is the speaker proud of their association with Pan Quake?

The speaker is proud because Pan Quake offers a unique approach to social media with complete transparency, no algorithms influencing user experience, and a strong commitment to freedom of speech, which aligns with their values.

What other professional engagements does the speaker have post-prison?

In addition to Pan Quake, the speaker hosts a daily radio show in Washington, contributes to three syndicated columns, and is involved with the Institute for Policy Studies, focusing on prison reform and sentencing reform.