How to Improve America’s Prisons (with L.B. Eisen and Randall Liberty)

About this episode

The episode discusses new approaches to prison reform in America, featuring insights from L.B. Eisen and Randall Liberty.

Over the past few years, crime has plummeted across the country, opening up new opportunities for progress inside prisons. Many corrections systems have adopted new approaches and policies that are making prisons less violent and more stable. Overwhelmingly, these practical, often inexpensive fixes have led to extraordinary results. In a new report, Prison Reform in the United States , the Brennan Center delves into new programs and outlines how states can replicate their successes. The report features innovations in various states, including Maine, where Commissioner Randall Liberty is leading a promising transformation. Listen as L.B. Eisen, director of our Justice Program and coauthor of the report, and Commissioner Liberty discuss the new landscape of prison reform and how states across the country can improve public safety by investing in their prisons. Speakers: Randall Liberty, Commissioner, Maine Department of Corrections L.B. Eisen, Brennan Center Host: Michael Waldman, Brennan Center Recorded on March 10, 2026. Keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing , at https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing . The Brennan Center is a…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Waldman

Guests: Randall Liberty, L.B. Eisen

Topics covered

• prison reform
• public safety
• corrections systems
• criminal justice
• policy innovation

Keywords

• prisons
• crime reduction
• corrections
• Brennan Center
• public safety
• policy
• Maine

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Brennan Center for Justice

Books & works: Prison Reform in the United States

Places: Maine

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