Radio Curious discusses incarceration and solitary confinement from the prisoner's perspective with Steven Czifra, a 38 year old undergraduate student at the University of California at Berkeley, who beginning at age 14, spent 16 years in prison. Almost half of that time he spent in solitary confinement. Â
Barry Vogel, Attorney and Counselor is the Host and Producer of Radio Curious. Christina Aanestad is the Assistant Producer.
In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Steven Czifra, a 38 year old undergraduate student at the University of California at Berkeley who spent almost 16 years in prison beginning when he was 14 years old.  Having been held in a solitary confinement facility known as the SHU, security housing units of Californiaâs juvenile and adult prisons, for almost eight years, he recently participated in the hunger strikes in solidarity with current prisoners to end the use of those facilities.  In the first of a two-part series on prisons from the prisonerâs perspective, Steven Czifra shares his story and experiences. In part-two we talk about his reflections and how he chose to turn his life around.  Our conversation, recorded from his home in Berkeley, California on September 14, 2013 began when I asked him what led up to his first incarceration.Â
The book Steven Czifra recommends is âThe New Jim Crow:Â Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,â by Michelle Alexander.Â
Radio Curious is a half-hour, weekly, long-form interview program, now in it's 23rd year. We interview people on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. Our website is www.radiocurious.org. If your station airs Radio Curious please let us know curious@radiocurious.org, we will add you to our list of syndicate stations. We also welcome questions, feedback and program ideas. Radio Curious 280 N. Oak St. Ukiah, Ca 95482. (707) 462-6541.
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