Episode 301: The Cost of Incarceration

Labor Day is supposed to be about honoring workers—but what about the essential work that happens at home, often without a paycheck? Professor Jennifer Greenfield explains why caregiving, paid family and medical leave, and the rising cost of child care are not just private family concerns, but issues that affect workers, employers, and the broader economy. She explores what paid leave policies look like across U.S. states, who gets left out of the current system, and what policymakers can do to better support people caring for children, aging parents, and other loved ones. For more on this topic: Check out Greenfield's findings, A Colorado Guaranteed Income Program Could Help Families, but the Costs Are High, co-written with Kaitlyn Sims and Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, in The Conversation Read her op-ed in the Denver Post, Here's How the Big Beautiful Bill Will Hurt Coloradans Most in Need of Assistance Check out her op-ed in The Hill, Why paid leave should be kept in Build Back Better  

As families head back to school, many students may find themselves in a new school this year because their original school has closed. In the U.S., more than 1,000 schools closed in 2025–26. Professor Mara Tieken explains what's driving closures, why they don't always save money, and how they can reshape communities—especially rural and Black communities. She shares what communities can do when a school is threatened with closure, from fighting to keep it open to making sure the process is handled well when closure is unavoidable. For more on this topic: Check out Rural Schools Open, a resource toolkit created by Tieken to help communities facing possible school closures Read her op-ed in The Hechinger Report, Shuttering Public Schools Is a Strategy That Rarely Saves Much Money and Often Leads to Test Score Declines Read her commentary in The Washington Monthly, Don't Fall for the School Closure Temptation  

As the U.S. birth rate continues to decline, some politicians are calling for policies that encourage Americans to have more children, otherwise known as pronatalism—even as abortion access, contraception, and maternal health care face growing challenges. Professor Carolette Norwood explains what pronatalism is, why debates over population growth are often intertwined with race and immigration, and how these conversations intersect with reproductive justice and policy.   For more on this topic: Read an interview with Norwood in The Hilltop, Pronatalism and the Politics of Childbirth Check out her article, More than Abortion: Why Reproductive Justice Matters in Cincinnati Post-Roe, co-written with Thembi Carr and published in the Journal of Women, Politics & Policy Read her paper, Forced to Birth: A Case Study of Ohio's Six-Week Abortion Ban, Its Impact on Black Women in Cincinnati and Its Relevance for Reproductive Justice in Ohio and Beyond, published in Health Matrix: The Journal of Law-Medicine   

College closures are becoming an increasingly common part of higher education, largely driven by declining enrollment, shifting federal funding, and rising operating costs. As more campuses face financial strain, what happens when a college can't survive on its own? Professor Mary Churchill shares the story of Wheelock College's merger with Boston University, widely viewed as one of the most successful mergers in higher education. She explains how leaders can protect a school's mission, support students and faculty through major change, and make difficult decisions before a crisis leaves them with no good options.  For more on this topic: Check out Churchill's book, When Colleges Close: Leading in a Time of Crisis, co-written with David Chard  

Birthright citizenship has been part of the U.S. Constitution for more than 150 years, but why has it become the focus of such intense political debate in recent years? Professor Anna Law breaks down the Supreme Court's decision in Trump v. Barbara, explains what birthright citizenship actually means, and traces the long history of who gets to be an American. Drawing from her new book, she separates fact from fiction on immigration, citizenship, and the Constitution, and explains why understanding that history matters today. For more on this topic: Check out Law's new book, Migration and the Origins of American Citizenship Read her blog post, I Read Trump v Barbara So You Don't Have To Read her Made by History essay in TIME Magazine, History Shows Why Birthright Citizenship is so Important   

Conservative Christian women are often portrayed as followers in American politics, but sociologist Katie Gaddini says that stereotype misses the bigger picture. Drawing on the research from her new book, she explains how these women have become a powerful force on the American right, what motivates their political engagement, and how faith, motherhood, and social media shape their growing influence.  For more on this topic: Read Gaddini's new book, Esther's Army: The Christian Women Who Power the American Right Check out her commentary in TIME Magazine, The woman whose crusade gave today's book-banning moms a blueprint  

For many Americans, contact with the criminal legal system comes with a hidden price tag. Without their knowledge, incarcerated people can often rack up large bills owed to the government to pay for the cost of their own incarceration. Sociologist Brittany Friedman explains how these "pay-to-stay" laws work, how civil lawsuits are used to collect that money after release, and why the push to reform these criminal legal fines and fees has drawn bipartisan support.   For more on this topic: Read the article mentioned in the episode, Civil Lawfare, co-authored by Friedman and published in the journal Social Problems  Listen to her podcast, Exploitation Nation Check out her book, Carceral Apartheid: How Lies and White Supremacists Run Our Prisons Read her SSN key findings brief, Ending Modern-Day Slavery in California  

No Jargon celebrates its 300th episode with a conversation about where American democracy and politics stand today, featuring the Scholar Strategy Network's new board chair, Mark Schmitt. Americans are increasingly frustrated with both the Democratic and Republican parties thanks to endless fundraising messages, political gridlock, and the sense that politicians don't represent the people. Schmitt makes the case that political parties are still a vital part of a healthy democracy and talks through the kinds of structural changes that could help rebuild trust and bring more people into the political process. For more on this topic: Read the New America report co-authored by Schmitt, A Blueprint for Healthier Political Parties Check out New America's companion report, A Model for Associational Party Building

Pregnancy is often treated as a personal responsibility, but the effects don't stay personal. When expectant parents can't afford basics like stable housing or healthy food, it can have ripple effects for society. That's why some communities are trying a different approach: giving expecting parents direct cash support during pregnancy. Professor Ali Groves explains how these programs work, focusing on the Philly Joy Bank, and why receiving money with no strings attached can ease stress and help families during a critical period.   For more on this topic: Read Groves' analysis in The Gender Policy Report, Parenting is Expensive, Guaranteed Income May Help, co-authored with Libby Valdez and Yuan He  Check out her op-ed in Penn Live, When Washington fails expecting mothers, Philadelphia shows a better way  

The EPA's 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding has been the legal foundation for U.S. climate regulation under the Clean Air Act for over a decade. In February, the Trump administration repealed it. That move puts the future of federal climate policy in question. Professor Alejandro Camacho explains what the endangerment finding did and why it mattered for policies ranging from vehicle emissions to power plant rules. Drawing on his new book, he also puts this moment in context: showing how earlier waves of environmental policymaking took shape in the 1960s and '70s, and why today's approach is marked by polarization, legal battles, and uncertainty. For more on this topic: Check out the book Camacho coauthored, Lessons for a Warming Planet: A Vital History of US Environmental Law Read his commentary in Legal Planet, The Trump Administration is Squandering Our Natural Heritage Read his op-ed in The Hill, Donald Trump's record-breaking race to wreck the planet