ILLINOIS — On this Father’s Day, a powerful broadcast called Prisoncast! from WBEZ and Illinois Public Radio offered a deeply emotional look into what it means to be a father while incarcerated in Illinois’ prison system.
More than 29,000 people are currently behind bars across the state, and approximately two-thirds of them are fathers. For these men, maintaining their roles as parents often comes down to emails, phone calls, handwritten letters, and fleeting moments during visitation hours.
A Love That Crosses Barriers
One of the most emotional voices in the program was Alexia Pitter, who has been visiting her father in prison since she was 7 years old. Now a college graduate, Pitter described the experience as a form of love that “stretches across concrete and wire.”
“Loving someone who is incarcerated means loving beyond the physical barriers of prison walls,” she shared during the broadcast.
Another participant, Shafiq, who is incarcerated at Sheridan Correctional Center, emphasized the importance of presence — even from within a prison.
“We are physically absent, but that does NOT preclude our being present in all the other ways that matter,” he wrote in an email read aloud.
Fathers Rebuilding Bonds While Behind Bars
In one particularly moving segment, listeners met Joel Davis and his son Joel, who were incarcerated together at Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg. During that time, they rebuilt a fractured father-son relationship and are now both released.
The two shared how difficult — but transformative — it was to reconnect inside prison walls, healing emotional wounds while serving time.
What Fatherhood Looks Like From Behind Bars
The Prisoncast! episode also included:
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Parenting advice from incarcerated dads on how to maintain meaningful connections with their children.
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The story of Juan Hernandez, who fought for 18 years to earn his GED while incarcerated.
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A spotlight on the “Moms & Babies” program at Decatur Correctional Center, where select incarcerated mothers live with their infants in a special nursery wing.
Grief, Heat, and Humanity Behind Bars
The second hour of the program explored the challenges faced by incarcerated parents, including:
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Extremely high summer temperatures inside state prisons, raising health concerns.
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Grieving a parent’s death while imprisoned, a reality for many who are cut off from their families.
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A first-time visit by a mother to see her incarcerated son — an emotional moment recorded for listeners.
About Prisoncast!
Prisoncast! is a unique journalism project by WBEZ and Illinois Public Radio, created to bring the voices of incarcerated individuals and their families to the public. Every segment stems from real questions and ideas submitted by those currently or formerly incarcerated in Illinois.
The goal? To broadcast hope, resilience, and human connection to those on both sides of the prison walls.
Do you believe Illinois should invest more in family visitation and parenting programs within its correctional system? Share your thoughts with us at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
