Yusef Jones spent more than 30 years serving a 30- to 60-year sentence in Pennsylvania state prisons. He speaks with hosts Nicole Franklin and Bryant Monteilh about longevity in the system and how lifers live accordingly.
Audiences tune in to Before You Go for first-hand accounts of the lives of our seniors. What about those of a certain age behind bars? Is death-by-incarceration being discussed enough in mainstream conversation? Formerly incarcerated Yusef Jones is currently out on parole after being sentenced to 30 to 60 years in a correctional facility known for its large population of lifers. In discussing the reality of coming into the system as a young man and leaving as a senior, Mr. Jones shares rare insight into how to survive behind bars. Education, mentoring and hope are first and foremost, according to our guest. And for those of us on the outside, if we want change to the enormous inequity when it comes to the justice system we have to show up and vote. As Malcolm X stated, it's "The Ballot or The Bullet."
This episode first aired on KBLA Talk 1580 in Los Angeles, CA.