The personal story of a man who tries to get his life back on track after a stint in a New Hampshire prison is at the center of a new podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio. “Supervision” is a four-part podcast that takes a look at the sometimes challenging journey that follows incarceration, as former inmates try to navigate new lives.
Former NHPR Reporter Emily Corwin began work on this story in the spring of 2017. She interviewed Josh Lavenets while he was still incarcerated at the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility in Berlin—speaking with him about his life in prison, and his hopes for life after release. Through five months of immersive reporting with Josh, his family and his friends, she witnesses his attempts to find a job and decide where to live. She sees him face a sudden medical emergency. Ultimately, she also bears witness to how things turn out for him in unexpected ways.
“Roughly half of people who get out of prison on parole in New Hampshire end up back behind bars within three years,” said Corwin. “That is the statistic I was trying to understand when Josh and I began talking. What happened after Josh got out of prison —neither of us could have anticipated.”
Corwin, now with Vermont Public Radio, worked on the podcast for more than two years with editors and producers back at NHPR, retaining an interest in the story after she had left New Hampshire.
“Through this intimate portrait of one man’s hopes and realities, we get a glimpse of a crucial but unexamined piece of the criminal justice system: parole,” said Dan Barrick, News Director at New Hampshire Public Radio. “We are grateful that Emily continued to work on this series as part of a collaborative effort between NHPR and Vermont Public Radio to bring this story to listeners in both states and beyond.”
WHERE TO FIND SUPERVISION:
Subscribe:
Listeners can hear the four-part series by subscribing to Supervision on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever they access podcasts. All episodes will be released at once on Wednesday, June 5.
Website:
Social Media:
Twitter - @supervisionpod
Broadcast Schedule:
Portions of the Supervision podcast will also air on New Hampshire Public Radio the week of June 24, in the time slot usually occupied by The Daily.
Episode 1 — The Privilege of Parole – Monday, June 24, at 6:30 p.m.
Episode 2 — First Day Out – Tuesday, June 25, at 6:30 p.m.
Episode 3 — Losing Josh – Wednesday, June 26, at 6:30 p.m.
Episode 4 — Put It To Rest – Thursday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m.