03-05-2025
‘The Light Switch' Episode 4: Risk and rewards from the Angola Prison Rodeo
This week's episode of 'The Light Switch' focuses entirely on the Angola Prison Rodeo, now in its 60th year at Louisiana State Penitentiary.
While the rest of the state is deep into its unofficial festival season, about 75 incarcerated men take part in a rodeo that's not your traditional apple pie, bucking broncos and fancy horses event.
Its critics describe it more like a sordid gladiator exhibition from peak Roman Empire times. They say this exploitation of inmates reflects outdated views on incarceration in Louisiana, a state where more than 1,000 of every 100,000 residents are behind bars according to the Promise of Justice Initiative.
But the rodeo also has its supporters – and some of the most ardent are the inmates who are part of the show. Reporter Piper Hutchinson attended the event last month and heard why they see the rodeo as a key part of positive prison culture. Read more about her visit to 'The Wildest Show in the South.'
There are two ways to listen to 'The Light Switch' …
Spotify (listen below on the embedded player or use this link)
Apple (listen with the embedded player or use this link)
