Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around The Block

Facing federal prison or navigating the system from the outside? Adjusting to life after prison and building a new one? Looking for ways to make the system work better? Maybe just curious? Around the Block, presented by Federal Prison Authorities' Bruce W. Cameron and Susan M. Giddings, unlocks the world of prisons and the road to reentry. Bruce and Susan bring decades of adult federal corrections experience to their audience. Join them and their guests as they cover topics from presentence reports and prison policy to the impacts of legislation and the barriers to successful reentry. Tune in with Bruce and Susan as they go Around the Block.Listen Live Monday 1:00PM (PST), On LA Talk Radio (latalkradio.com)

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Episodes 300

Facility Closures and Policy Changes
1mo ago · 55:00
This week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block has Bruce and Susan pick up where they left off last episode as they continue to go over facility closures and policy changes. Additionally, a big change they bring up in the program is the education policy for those going to federal prison. They also go over different recreational changes through the first half. Susan then transitions to discussing facility lockdowns and security changes. Bruce and Susan also lay out the process of communication between inmates, potential inmates, and the facilities. This is another in
Facility Closures
1mo ago · 55:00
This week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block is very exciting and action-packed. Bruce and Susan get right down to business, going over the recent changes in the prison system and how these changes impact inmates and their families. They covered the facility closure memo that was recently released. During this episode, Bruce and Susan list different facilities that have shut down and will shut down, and provide context, explaining what it means for them to close down instead of giving a surface-level explanation. Halfway through the program, they explain to the vi
FBP and other Organizations
2mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Susan explains how the Bureau has partnered with different outside organizations and resources, including faith-based institutions, to help inmates and their families. They also explore the original design of the First Step Act and how its design is implemented in actual situations. Susan references previous cases explored in the last episode and goes in depth about the Supreme Court decisions and how they impact the prison systems. Halfway through and to the end of the program, Bruce and Susan go over a variety of
New Government Policies
2mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan go over the last month's government policies and all the behind-the-scenes changes. The first topic they cover is the new laws on identification and what changes have been made. Next, they go over camp placement, and Susan explains which inmates qualify and which do not due to their risk evaluation. To help illustrate their point, Susan shares a personal story about a case and its impact on the changes in Supreme Court rulings. An area of contention covered in this episode is how laws apply retroactively to
A New Book
3mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan open the show talking about their third and new book. It is ready for purchase and covers the Second Chance Act and halfway housing. It is a very thorough yet easy-to-read guide to help inmates and families navigate the system and build self-efficacy. After spending time going over their new book, they transition to exploring a case, breaking down the steps involved in sentencing and risk assessment for an inmate. A point of emphasis during this episode is goal planning and how to redirect after they
Variety of Court Cases
3mo ago · 55:00
This week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block sees Bruce and Susan tackle the BOP, FSA, FCA, and a variety of court cases. It is an information-dense episode, but they tackle each one individually to make it easy to digest. They start with a case and also refer to previous cases to paint a fuller picture. About halfway through, Susan and Bruce dive into risk assessment and the various factors that impact housing placement for inmates. To wrap up, Susan emphasizes how changes in elections and administrations impact the system and how time credits are applied and ear
Sentencing and Assessments
4mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan begin the program by explaining the services they provide and go over if they would be a good fit for you or your loved one. They also use this time to discuss how they are different from government agencies and how they came into practice in the first place. About halfway through, they transitioned to elaborate on a circuit case that came out in 2025, which sparked many questions and concerns. This time also allows them to tie in their second book and to show how these are things that can be used positivel
Custody Classification,PATTERN Risk Assessment
4mo ago · 55:00
Bruce and Susan discuss the 11th Circuit's decision outlining factors the District Courts should consider when determining whether the incarcerated person is the "only available caregiver" in a Compassion Release request. They also discuss the U.S. Sentencing Commission's Amendment 821 and the required documentation to ensure that criminal history point reductions are applied to custody classification and PATTERN risk assessment. United States v. Robelo-Galo, No. 24-12128 (11th Cir. 2006); USA v. Juan Aguiar Parada, No. 24-12775 (11th Cir. 2026). Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and
FSA, New Book
4mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan continue from last week's episode, which covered the First Step Act Law and its issues and details. Bruce and Susan take time to discuss their new book, which will be released soon, and encourage viewers to reach out with any comments or questions. After this, they transition to reviewing the Second Chance Act and Halfway House, and to the high- or low-risk assessment, which affects where inmates are placed. This is a very informative episode and does a great job continuing the topic introduced last
"The Champion"
5mo ago · 55:00
This week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block is foundational to all the work Bruce and Susan do. Bruce opens by explaining the purpose of their work, then transitions to Susan discussing the cons of the new First Step Act. They also discuss a variety of drugs and how the Law is written pertaining to these substances. Next, Susan goes through the different sections and statutes in the law and helps critique and clarify their meanings. Qualifications for time credits are covered around the halfway point and extend to much of the episode. To conclude the show, Bruce
"Detainers and Chargers"
5mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan explore detainers and pending charges. They also go over their green book, which further explains the detainers and chargers. Susan elaborates on the process of going through their sentencing time and the presentence investigation reports. About halfway through the program, Susan explains the different laws and policies within certain states. Such as Louisiana and Mississippi not having the IEDA. After they wrap up the IEDA portion, Bruce brings up immigration and the system and laws in place. Susan goes ov
"Inmate Trends"
5mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan cover a variety of new and old topics. Starting off, they discuss the First Step Act provisions and go over the requirements and reports from 2024 to 2025. Susan discusses inmate trends and how this information can be used to help current inmates and their sentencing. Over halfway through, they review incident reports and assess the risk levels of certain inmates. They also discuss which items can affect an inmate's time served in a high- to low-risk security facility. Towards the end, Susan shares the ethn
Listener Questions, "Presentence Report"
5mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan open the show, continuing the trend of answering viewer questions on the topic of transferring from maximum security to medium security. This gives Susan the opportunity to explain security levels and how each inmate qualifies for each. Around the halfway point, Bruce emphasizes the importance of the presentence report; this helps the inmate's sentencing process go more smoothly. Susan, during the episode, hints at a third book she and Bruce are working on dedicated to the second care act. To wrap up
Answering Listener Questions
6mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan answer viewer questions on their Facebook page. They open with low-security male and female bed spaces, and they have seen a shortage among male residents. Susan also discusses programs inmates need to complete to expedite the process and ensure they aren’t wasting time. A little later, they answered a Facebook question about credit timing and the application process. Bruce also discusses the importance of having a case manager or having them help with the case to speed up sentence processing. This e
"Halfway House Placements"
6mo ago · 55:00
The episode begins with a discussion regarding a video shared in our Facebook group featuring Rick Stover. Bruce and Susan analyze the video's content and broader impact, covering key information on time credits, the First Step Act (FSA), and the Second Chance Act (SCA). Susan provides a detailed overview of the various levels of halfway house placements, with a specific focus on the current placement system. This leads to a discussion of the federal consulting market, where Bruce emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy for inmates and their families. This episode highlights the process of
"Sentencing Commission"
7mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan begin this week by discussing proposed changes by the Sentencing Commission. The public can weigh in on how defendants can have lower points on their pre-sentence report. This could shave years off the sentence. They also use this time to tie it back to time credits and sentencing. One prerequisite, Susan emphasizes the advantages of getting a GED and how it helps during pre-trial. There is a federal Prison group on Facebook where Bruce and Susan encourage listeners and group members to participate, discuss
"Statutory Eligibility"
7mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan spend the first few minutes covering he capture of the Venezuelan president and his detention center process. After exploring this new development, they pivot back to the first step and time credit topics. Susan continues from last week to explore the concept of statutory eligibility. Susan defines statutory eligibility and explores the applicable laws. She also reviews some flaws in how the laws were written and clarifies the different eligibility levels. Future episodes will continue to explore the
"Rules Language", Wrapping 2025
8mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan wrap up 2025 by thanking listeners and LATalkRadio for providing a platform to support families and explain the Federal prison system. Bruce and Susan also discuss the commencement of sentences and time credits. All of this can be found and presented in their time credit book. About halfway through the episode, Susan reviews different policies and a concept called "rules language"; these are in place to help inform and interpret policies for everyone. A point of clarification Bruce and Susan emphasize is ho
Psychology Talk
8mo ago · 55:00
On this Christmas holiday episode, Bruce has a special guest, Dr. Carl Gacono. Dr. Gacono begins the episode by discussing his clinical background and experience in the BOP system. Dr. Gacono has worked with an extensive background in severe mental health patients and severe forensic cases. Building on prior experiences, Bruce offers a brief overview of his upbringing in psychology and federal prison. Towards the middle of the program, Dr. Gacono and Bruce help define the major personality disorders and explore psychopathic tendencies and behaviors. Both emphasize the importance of accurate di
The Financial Responsibility Program (FRP)
8mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan explore a new topic, the financial responsibility program (FRP), a part of earning FSA credits. Susan sets the stage for this topic by discussing its history and outlining how funds are collected based on the established criteria. They also explore how courts and the federal prison system work together to collect those funds. Susan also clarifies which funding sources are permitted and may be used to pay the dues required by the financial program. Examples include employment and family. Halfway throu
The First Step Act in Details
8mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan review several concepts related to the First Step Act and explain the finer details of the act. This is a section they explore in their books, which are shared below. One branch of the First Step Act they review is Risk Level Assessment and how it has changed since 2019 and during COVID-19. Bruce further explains the difference between static and dynamic risk factors and how they impact inmates and their assessment level. Halfway through the program, Susan outlines specific criteria used to filter inmates a
CNN Interview, Time Credits
9mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan open with Susan's recent interview with CNN, the context of what she spoke about, and why understanding the entire story is important. Next, they go over time credits and the steps to ensure inmates receive them and don’t miss out due to not understanding the process. Susan and Bruce also elaborate on the sentencing process and when it starts and ends. A point discussed throughout the 2nd half of the program is conspiracy cases and how they differ from regular cases. Towards the end, Bruce and Susan
Release Procedures for Inmates
9mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan delve into topics that have not been previously covered on the show. The first topic on the show is release procedures for inmates. Bruce and Susan go through the details and rules that must be followed for an inmate to be released. Side note: Prisons will provide release clothing for the inmate. Susan also reviews the transportation and financial aspects of being released, as well as what inmates and their families need to know about these aspects of their release. Towards the second half of the episode, S
Client Self-Efficacy
10mo ago · 55:00
On this episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan open the episode on a slightly different note. They explore the topic of client self-efficacy, which is a form of client empowerment. There are numerous people involved and countless moving parts in the Federal Prison System, and Bruce and Susan explore how keeping the client educated and empowered is essential. However, they do examine the limitations of what clients can and can’t do within the system. Susan shares a story of a client who was able to speed up the process by educating themselves and not rel
Advocate for Families and Inmates
10mo ago · 55:00
In this week's episode of Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around the Block, Bruce and Susan begin by discussing the story of Todd Crisley, who has navigated the federal prison system and is now an advocate for families and inmates. He has been featured on podcasts discussing his story and how he came to do the work he does today. Bruce and Susan also delve into recent updates to the FSA and home confinement, examining the BOP's new video on the FSA calculation process. Towards the end of the show, Susan reviews a new article released by the director of the FSA about classification practices

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Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around The Block

Episodes 300

Facility Closures and Policy Changes

Facility Closures

FBP and other Organizations

New Government Policies

A New Book

Variety of Court Cases

Sentencing and Assessments

Custody Classification,PATTERN Risk Assessment

FSA, New Book

"The Champion"

"Detainers and Chargers"

"Inmate Trends"

Listener Questions, "Presentence Report"

Answering Listener Questions

"Halfway House Placements"

"Sentencing Commission"

"Statutory Eligibility"

"Rules Language", Wrapping 2025

Psychology Talk

The Financial Responsibility Program (FRP)

The First Step Act in Details

CNN Interview, Time Credits

Release Procedures for Inmates

Client Self-Efficacy

Advocate for Families and Inmates

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Episodes 300

Facility Closures and Policy Changes

Facility Closures

FBP and other Organizations

New Government Policies

A New Book

Variety of Court Cases

Sentencing and Assessments

Custody Classification,PATTERN Risk Assessment

FSA, New Book

"The Champion"

"Detainers and Chargers"

"Inmate Trends"

Listener Questions, "Presentence Report"

Answering Listener Questions

"Halfway House Placements"

"Sentencing Commission"

"Statutory Eligibility"

"Rules Language", Wrapping 2025

Psychology Talk

The Financial Responsibility Program (FRP)

The First Step Act in Details

CNN Interview, Time Credits

Release Procedures for Inmates

Client Self-Efficacy

Advocate for Families and Inmates

Podcast 森辺一樹のグローバル・マーケティング〜すべてはアジアで売るために〜