Jan Haaken and Mike Snedecker take a break from their usual Left and the Law MO and review a new drug-war action flick, "Snitch". It stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a John Matthews, a father who goes under cover for the DEA to exonerate his son, who was himself arrested in a drug-deal set up by federal agents. They consider the truth and lies of the drug war represented by Hollywood, and how it's conservative morality may contain some gems of radical provocation.

Alan Wieder hosts this episode, featuring music from David Rovics as well as an interview with him, a discussion of the economics and politics of mass incarceration, a review of a recent comic novel, and a commentary on the ideology of austerity.

Bill Resnick talks with David Weiman about Mass Incarceration

Book Mole Larry Bowlden reviews Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Bill Resnick talks with economist David Weiman about the political forces encouraging the growth and maintaining of prisons and punitive policing in the USA. They consider not only media influence and legislators desire to keep jobs in their areas but also the fear-enhancing effects of social isolation and division and the correlation between inequality and incarceration. They discuss the impact of widely available guns and lobbying in support of gun rights. They consider the role of mental health professionals, the use of psychoactive drugs, and the likelihood that mental illness is a consequence of incarceration rather than a cause of crime.