Tonight at 6:30pm on KBOO Community Radio, Prison Pipeline brings you an urgent conversation about the future of transition services for people leaving incarceration in Multnomah County. Hosted by Emma Lugo, this episode focuses on a critical public health issue that sits at the intersection of housing, healthcare, and the criminal legal system.
In this episode, Emma speaks with Dr. Ann Chaquin, a public health expert with decades of experience in corrections health and reentry services. Together, they explore what transition services actually look like on the ground—how support begins at intake and continues through release, connecting people to healthcare, mental health services, addiction treatment, and housing resources at the moment they need them most.
At the center of the conversation is a looming threat: proposed Multnomah County budget cuts that could eliminate these transition services entirely. As Dr. Chaquin explains, removing this infrastructure would mean people leaving jail without support, increasing the risks of overdose, mental health crises, homelessness, and reentry into the criminal legal system.
The discussion highlights the crucial first 24 to 72 hours after release—a period when individuals are most vulnerable. Without guidance, stable housing, or access to care, many fall back into the same cycles that led to incarceration. With support, however, even small interventions can create stability, dignity, and a real chance at rebuilding a life.
This episode also examines the broader structural barriers facing people after release, including the difficulty of finding housing and employment with a criminal record. It raises pressing questions about public priorities: when budgets tighten, who gets left behind—and what are the long-term costs to our communities when essential services are cut?
Finally, listeners will hear a clear call to action. From contacting county commissioners to showing up at public meetings, community voices can make a difference in preserving these life-saving programs. As Dr. Chaquin reminds us, correctional health is public health—and investing in transition services is not just compassionate policy, but practical, effective, and necessary for the well-being of the entire community.
Tune in tonight at 6:30pm to Prison Pipeline on KBOO Community Radio.