Federal Prison Authority Presents: Around The Block

Hosted by LA Talk Radio

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Episodes

349

Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

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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60 recent

May 11, 202655 min

A New Book

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 have to change their career and lifestyle. This allows Bruce to discuss his counseling background and his vocational training. Families and inmates looking for jobs, this is the episode for you. Bruce and Susan help lay out the path to reintegrate into the workforce and society. Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce can be reached through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

April 27, 202655 min

Sentencing and Assessments

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 positively from the case findings. To close the show, they go over a case in Illinois and how it impacts sentencing and assessments. This episode covers multiple cases and provides practical steps and guidelines to follow. Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

April 20, 202655 min

Custody Classification,PATTERN Risk Assessment

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 Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

April 6, 202655 min

FSA, New Book

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 week. For more information on these processes, listen to older podcasts for a fuller picture and understanding! Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

March 30, 202655 min

"The Champion"

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 shows their new edition of "The Champion" and goes over their new Federal Time Credit books. Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

March 16, 202655 min

"Detainers and Chargers"

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 over the Kate Steinle case, which occurred in 2015 in California, to add context to the federal immigration process. This is an information-dense episode that covers a lot of topics. Feel free to rewatch and join their Facebook group. Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

March 16, 202655 min

"Inmate Trends"

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 ethnic population that shows up in the risk level and assessment. This leads Susan to share the implications of these findings. This episode is full of new information and also reviews previous topics explored in previous episodes. Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

March 9, 202655 min

Listener Questions, "Presentence Report"

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 the episode, Susan summarizes state charges and how they affect the inmate and their federal sentencing. Be sure to look for more updates on their next book! Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

March 2, 202655 min

Answering Listener Questions

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 episode is viewer-focused and emphasizes the credits and eligibility process. Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE

February 2, 202655 min

"Halfway House Placements"

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 securing a room in a halfway house and explores the primary differences between prison facilities and halfway housing. Please feel free to send questions to Bruce and Susan. Dr. Susan Giddings can be found on their shared website https://federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Bruce through his cell (214) 431-2032, and their First Step Act Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2dWCECE