From St. Peter, Minnesota: Checking in with Ben Alverson
Ben Alverson returns to the Prison Pen Pal Podcast for his third appearance, and a lot has changed since we last checked in with him at the Civil Commitment Center in St. Peter, Minnesota. Ben discusses the changes he’s seen in the program, the possibility of moving more quickly toward life outside the facility, and his upcoming court proceedings. He also explains how some people are now making it through the system faster than before—including one friend who went from the facility to having his own home and eventually receiving a full discharge. With his own future still uncertain, Ben is hoping his progress and low-risk assessments will help him take the next step toward freedom.
But there’s more to Ben than his legal situation. He talks about turning his artwork into a business, the roughly 100 pieces of art he hopes to make available, and his fascination with creating art that people can actually experience—including a painting that incorporates real coffee. And in one of the more unexpected conversations you’ll hear on the podcast, Ben and Big Steve discuss making homemade ice cream inside the facility, experimenting with flavors like cinnamon, coffee and chocolate. Add in a little talk about prison food, pen pals, international connections and a challenge for listeners to leave Ben a very unusual 15-second phone message, and this is a revealing—and occasionally hilarious—look at life behind the walls and the person trying to build a life beyond them.
Learn more about Ben and view his artwork at https://penpals.buzz/inmate/benjamin-alverson/
Learn more about the horrors of the St. Peter Civil Commitment Facility: Minnesota Sex Offender Program: The Indefinite Detention of the Reviled | Criminal Legal News
To be a guest on a future episode of the Prison Pen Pal Podcast, or to share your comments, email us: podcast@penpals.buzz