Ben Austen
Journalist and nonfiction writer based in Chicago and author of Correction, Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change, reporting on parole hearings and long-term incarceration.
Best podcasts with Ben Austen
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Feb 19, 2026 • 29min
When You Were Born Matters More Than You Think
Ben Austen, a journalist reporting on parole and long-term incarceration. Robert Sampson, a Harvard sociologist studying crime, justice, and cohorts. They discuss how year of birth reshapes crime risks and life paths. Small cohort differences yield big effects. They explore parole’s limits, how institutions and social change drive trends, and why risk tools can mislead.
