Inhumane Dane
A podcast series about the future of justice in Dane County.
Organizers have worked for years to stop Dane County from building a new jail. On Inhumane Dane, you’ll hear the story of that grassroots movement, from people impacted by incarceration, and people reimagining how we approach justice in Dane County and beyond.
What would it look like to address Dane County’s racial disparities and consider a new future of justice in our community? Whether you’re new to the conversation or already familiar with the issue, we hope each episode will share new information and perspectives.
Listen now or keep reading to learn more about Dane County’s justice system and plans for a new jail.
Latest episodes
Inhumane Dane Episode 1: Where is the justice?
The lasting impacts of Jimmie Joshua’s ordeal inside the Dane County Jail.
Introducing the Inhumane Dane podcast
Coming soon: A podcast series about the backlash against a new jail in Dane County.
More Tone Madison coverage of the Dane County Jail project
Propaganda hoedown: How the Dane County Sheriff tried to sell the Smart Communications contract
Mail-scanning systems are spreading, not for safety purposes, but to strengthen punishment bureaucrats’ surveillance powers and corporate extraction.
Another layer of isolation could be coming for Dane County Jail “residents”
The grounds for scanning inmate mail are dubious, and vendors profit from the high price of connection.
Dane County’s jail money pit gets deeper, but some want to keep digging
The project now tops $200 million, but some are giving in to sunk-cost thinking.
The Dane County Jail project heads toward a crucial vote
As the County Board once again takes up the bloated project, don’t trust the powers that be on punishment.
Dane County’s lucrative relationship with ICE
Despite publicly distancing itself from aggressive immigration enforcement, the county has received a lot of federal money for law enforcement to inform on undocumented people.
Declaring Dane County an “abortion sanctuary” doesn’t protect reproductive healthcare
Gestures from the County Board don’t (and mostly can’t) change Wisconsin’s legal landscape around abortion.
Funding non-police mental health responses in Dane County is more important than ever
DCSO is killing more people and asking for more money—but where’s the investment in alternate mental-health models?
Digging into the latest opposition to a smaller Dane County Jail
Dane County skirts meaningful reform and looks to bypass resistance to building a new jail.
Dane County’s jail project barrels down a familiar road, but there are always more off-ramps
The County Board counts costs, Sheriff Barrett moves incarcerated people, and the Black Caucus recommends an alternative—as budget season heats up.
The Dane County Board pairs more jail funding with toothless calls for reform
Another absurd, expensive, and politically craven turn in the drawn-out quest to build new cages.