Justice 101: Dying on the Inside—The History of America’s Incarceration of Women

Join us for a discussion about the intersection of incarceration, aging, and health as explored in the new investigative podcast series Dying on the Inside: Women Lifers at Muncy Prison. Dying on the Inside highlights the realities of roughly 150 women serving life sentences at Pennsylvania’s State Correctional Institution at Muncy. Through the voices of incarcerated women and those working to change the system, the series explores the human, financial, and moral stakes of aging and dying in prison.

Cherri Gregg (Co-Executive Producer & Host, Dying on the Inside; Co-Host, WHYY Studio 2) will lead a conversation that asks the question—how did we get here? Together with Kerry Sautner, Ed.D. (President & CEO, Eastern State), Keisha Hudson, Esq. (Chief Defender, Defender Association of Philadelphia), Tonie Willis (Founder & Executive Director, Ardella’s House), and other panelists, we’ll draw connections between the history of women’s incarceration in America and the present-day realities of aging, illness, and long-term imprisonment. This discussion is not just a continuation of the podcast—it’s a step back to understand the systems, policies, and decisions that shaped this moment.

Through history, lived experience, and legal insight, we’ll explore:

• How women became one of the fastest-growing incarcerated populations
• Why prisons were never designed for women—especially those growing old inside
• What happens when punishment outlasts rehabilitation
• And what justice should look like now

Dying on the Inside: Women Lifers at Muncy Prison is a production of Create. Genius. Media and Temple University's Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting. Follow @dyingontheinsidepodcast on social media for info about events, issues around mass incarceration and history.