View from the chapel library at the Oregon State Penitentiary.
John Rosman / OPB
“How do we atone for the worst thing we’ve ever done?” That is the question at the heart of a new podcast that features men serving time in the Oregon State Penitentiary. University of Washington professor Steve Herbert brought together a group of men at the prison for a class on atonement with the goal of creating a podcast. “Making Amends” tells the personal stories of six men and the circumstances and choices that landed them in prison. The podcast questions the system of incarceration in the U.S. that makes remorse and atonement difficult and instead prioritizes punishment. Herbert tells us about the podcast and his perspective on the relationship between atonement and accountability.
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