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Published by Colorado Radio for Justice
HABITUAL is a podcast from Colorado Radio for Justice - told by someone who survived it. Herbert Alexander served 14 years in Colorado prisons, labeled a "habitual offender" under the state's three-strikes law, which can increase sentences exponentially even for nonviolent crimes. Against all odds, Herbert got himself free. Now, he's telling his story, and he's investigating habitual statutes across the United States that fuel mass incarceration and alter the lives of thousands of people. HABITUAL traces the history, power, and consequences of habitual statutes through Herbert’s deeply personal story. Alongside co-hosts Seth Ready and Ryan Conarro, Herbert interviews his mother, his wife, and his son. He returns to the scene of his final crime. And he sits down with lawmakers, historians, victims and their advocates, and families who live with the lasting impacts of the law. Along the way, he stumbles upon the shocking, dark origin story of the law across 49 states. It all adds up to a deep interrogation of how habitual laws expand prosecutorial power, pressure plea bargains, and transform prison terms into life-defining punishments, without consideration of rehabilitation, accountability, or repair. HABITUAL is the story of one man’s past, present, and future. And it’s a sweeping tale of power, punishment, and people across the country fighting for the possibility of change against all odds.
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Now a free man, Herbert returns to the scene of his crime, reflecting on accountability and his unresolved desire to apologize. The episode confronts the uncertain possible futures of those impacted by the habitual offender statute. Finally, Herbert invites a special guest into the radio studio, highlighting the intergenerational impacts of the criminal-legal system right alongside a hope for the future. This episode features Victims Services Facilitator Cynthia Randall; Colorado State Senator Cleave Simpson; Daniel Loehr, CUNY School of Law; Adriana Vance, Habitually Screwed, Inc; Colorado State Representative Javier Mabrey; Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales; Dan Meyer, Spero Justice Center; and Karter Alexander, Herbert’s son. HABITUAL is a production of Colorado Radio for Justice. Executive Producers: Herbert Alexander and Ryan Conarro Hosts and Producers: Herbert Alexander, Ryan Conarro, and Seth Ready Lead Writer: Ryan Conarro Editors: Ringo Joon, Lucy Richardson, Herbert Alexander, & Ryan Conarro Music composition: Xavier Gauthier Mastering Engineer: Tongjai Lee Graphic design: Mayela Cardenas Vocal Coach: Mare Trevathan Production of HABITUAL was supported in part by Colorado Media Project, a funding collective fiscally sponsored by Rose Community Foundation. HABITUAL was also supported in part by a grant from the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative. Special thanks to Spero Justice Center and to Chuck Murphy, Investigative Editor at Colorado Public Radio. HABITUAL is an original documentary podcast. This series includes limited excerpts of third-party media, such as news reporting and archival materials, used solely for purposes of journalism, commentary, and public interest analysis. These excerpts are selected carefully, used sparingly, and presented with additional reporting, context, and critique. Any such material is incorporated in a transformative manner and only to the extent necessary to support factual storytelling, including the examination of legal systems, media narratives, and the lived experience of those directly affected. HABITUAL relies on fair use as defined under 17 U.S.C. § 107 of U.S. copyright law. All rights to third-party materials, including news and media content, remain with their respective owners. This episode includes the following sources: KKTV 11 News, “Police Investigate Bank Robbery in Colorado Springs.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bABgGRTnkeA Stay engaged with HABITUAL and Colorado Radio for Justice: https://www.radioforjustice.org/habitual © 2026 Colorado Radio for Justice - HABITUAL All Rights Reserved
A chronicle of Herbert Alexander’s transformation while he’s incarcerated - including his dogged work as a self-taught "jailhouse lawyer" and his role in launching a groundbreaking prison radio station. Against all odds, Herbert successfully files a 35(c) motion and secures an evidentiary hearing, where a judge considers overturning his 64-year sentence. This episode features Kristen Nelson, Spero Justice Center; Julie Rada, restorative justice facilitator; Rick Dryer, Herbert’s “jailhouse lawyer”; Rosemary & Jim Devney, Herbert Alexander’s mother and stepfather; Shauntye Alexander, Herbert’s wife; and Karter Alexander, Herbert’s son. HABITUAL is a production of Colorado Radio for Justice. Executive Producers: Herbert Alexander and Ryan Conarro Hosts and Producers: Herbert Alexander, Ryan Conarro, and Seth Ready Lead Writer: Ryan Conarro Editors: Ringo Joon, Lucy Richardson, Herbert Alexander, & Ryan Conarro Music composition: Xavier Gauthier Mastering Engineer: Tongjai Lee Graphic design: Mayela Cardenas Vocal Coach: Mare Trevathan Production of HABITUAL was supported in part by Colorado Media Project, a funding collective fiscally sponsored by Rose Community Foundation. HABITUAL was also supported in part by a grant from the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative. Special thanks to Spero Justice Center and to Chuck Murphy, Investigative Editor at Colorado Public Radio. HABITUAL is an original documentary podcast. This series includes limited excerpts of third-party media, such as news reporting and archival materials, used solely for purposes of journalism, commentary, and public interest analysis. These excerpts are selected carefully, used sparingly, and presented with additional reporting, context, and critique. Any such material is incorporated in a transformative manner and only to the extent necessary to support factual storytelling, including the examination of legal systems, media narratives, and the lived experience of those directly affected. HABITUAL relies on fair use as defined under 17 U.S.C. § 107 of U.S. copyright law. All rights to third-party materials, including news and media content, remain with their respective owners. This episode includes the following sources: CBS Mornings, “Nation’s first statewide prison radio station is fostering new connections.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygkTUAFyuRk Stay engaged with HABITUAL and Colorado Radio for Justice: https://www.radioforjustice.org/habitual © 2026 Colorado Radio for Justice - HABITUAL All Rights Reserved
This episode uncovers the chilling, hidden history of habitual offender statutes in the United States. Attorney and legal historian Daniel Loehr reveals how these laws were originally championed by the 1920s eugenics movement in a racist effort to prevent reproduction by people deemed “habitual criminals." This episode features Cleveland Vance, incarcerated in the Colorado Department of Corrections; Stefano IllescasRomo, incarcerated in the Colorado Department of Corrections; and Daniel Loehr, CUNY School of Law. HABITUAL is a production of Colorado Radio for Justice. Executive Producers: Herbert Alexander and Ryan Conarro Hosts and Producers: Herbert Alexander, Ryan Conarro, and Seth Ready Lead Writer: Ryan Conarro Editors: Ringo Joon, Lucy Richardson, Herbert Alexander, & Ryan Conarro Music composition: Xavier Gauthier Mastering Engineer: Tongjai Lee Graphic design: Mayela Cardenas Vocal Coach: Mare Trevathan Production of HABITUAL was supported in part by Colorado Media Project, a funding collective fiscally sponsored by Rose Community Foundation. HABITUAL was also supported in part by a grant from the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative. Special thanks to Spero Justice Center and to Chuck Murphy, Investigative Editor at Colorado Public Radio. HABITUAL is an original documentary podcast. This series includes limited excerpts of third-party media, such as news reporting and archival materials, used solely for purposes of journalism, commentary, and public interest analysis. These excerpts are selected carefully, used sparingly, and presented with additional reporting, context, and critique. Any such material is incorporated in a transformative manner and only to the extent necessary to support factual storytelling, including the examination of legal systems, media narratives, and the lived experience of those directly affected. HABITUAL relies on fair use as defined under 17 U.S.C. § 107 of U.S. copyright law. All rights to third-party materials, including news and media content, remain with their respective owners. This episode includes the following sources: Retro Report, “Three Strikes & You’re Out”: https://rmpbs.pbslearningmedia.org /resource/crime-punishment-three-strikes-law-video/retro-report/ PBS, “The Origins of Eugenics in America | The US and the Holocaust”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsg5IwYRw9A Radical History: “How Britain and American Inspired Nazi Eugenics”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dyyt2kVOEg Stay engaged with HABITUAL and Colorado Radio for Justice: https://www.radioforjustice.org/habitual © 2026 Colorado Radio for Justice - HABITUAL All Rights Reserved
Herbert Alexander, until recently incarcerated as a “habitual offender,” invites Colorado legislators and legal experts to catalogue numerous systemic problems with three-strikes laws, including disproportionate impacts on minority communities, inequitable use by prosecutors, and exponential expenses to state government. He and co-hosts Seth Ready and Ryan Conarro interview Adriana Vance, who founded the advocacy organization Habitually Screwed & More following her husband’s conviction as a “habitual offender,” and who has herself been victimized by violent crime. This episode features Kristen Nelson & Dan Meyer, Spero Justice Center; Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales; Colorado State Representative Javier Mabrey; and Adriana Vance, Habitually Screwed, Inc. HABITUAL is a production of Colorado Radio for Justice. Executive Producers: Herbert Alexander and Ryan Conarro Hosts and Producers: Herbert Alexander, Ryan Conarro, and Seth Ready Lead Writer: Ryan Conarro Editors: Ringo Joon, Lucy Richardson, Herbert Alexander, & Ryan Conarro Music composition: Xavier Gauthier Mastering Engineer: Tongjai Lee Graphic design: Mayela Cardenas Vocal Coach: Mare Trevathan Production of HABITUAL was supported in part by Colorado Media Project, a funding collective fiscally sponsored by Rose Community Foundation. HABITUAL was also supported in part by a grant from the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative. Special thanks to Spero Justice Center and to Chuck Murphy, Investigative Editor at Colorado Public Radio. HABITUAL is an original documentary podcast. This series includes limited excerpts of third-party media, such as news reporting and archival materials, used solely for purposes of journalism, commentary, and public interest analysis. These excerpts are selected carefully, used sparingly, and presented with additional reporting, context, and critique. Any such material is incorporated in a transformative manner and only to the extent necessary to support factual storytelling, including the examination of legal systems, media narratives, and the lived experience of those directly affected. HABITUAL relies on fair use as defined under 17 U.S.C. § 107 of U.S. copyright law. All rights to third-party materials, including news and media content, remain with their respective owners. This episode includes the following sources: 9 News, “5 Dead in Mass Shooting at LGBTQ+ Nightclub.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv5ceDMWT4c Stay engaged with HABITUAL and Colorado Radio for Justice: https://www.radioforjustice.org/habitual © 2026 Colorado Radio for Justice - HABITUAL All Rights Reserved
In the United States, habitual offender laws have contributed to decades-long sentences for thousands - many of whom committed nonviolent crimes. The law is often referred to in prison simply as “the bitch.” In this episode, the Colorado Radio for Justice team breaks down Colorado’s version of this statute - Seth Ready, Ryan Conarro, and Herbert Alexander, whose bank robbery resulted in his own staggering 64-year habitual sentence. They invite Herbert’s mother and family to share their journey to Herbert’s crime, and the emotional toll of his virtual life sentence. This episode features Kristen Nelson & Dan Meyer, Spero Justice Center; Rosemary & Jim Devney, Herbert Alexander’s mother and stepfather; Chrissy Bautista, Herbert’s sister; and Shauntye Alexander, Herbert’s wife. HABITUAL is a production of Colorado Radio for Justice. Executive Producers: Herbert Alexander and Ryan Conarro Hosts and Producers: Herbert Alexander, Ryan Conarro, and Seth Ready Lead Writer: Ryan Conarro Editors: Ringo Joon, Lucy Richardson, Herbert Alexander, & Ryan Conarro Music composition: Xavier Gauthier Mastering Engineer: Tongjai Lee Graphic design: Mayela Cardenas Vocal Coach: Mare Trevathan Production of HABITUAL was supported in part by Colorado Media Project, a funding collective fiscally sponsored by Rose Community Foundation. HABITUAL was also supported in part by a grant from the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative. Special thanks to Spero Justice Center and to Chuck Murphy, Investigative Editor at Colorado Public Radio. HABITUAL is an original documentary podcast. This series includes limited excerpts of third-party media, such as news reporting and archival materials, used solely for purposes of journalism, commentary, and public interest analysis. These excerpts are selected carefully, used sparingly, and presented with additional reporting, context, and critique. Any such material is incorporated in a transformative manner and only to the extent necessary to support factual storytelling, including the examination of legal systems, media narratives, and the lived experience of those directly affected. HABITUAL relies on fair use as defined under 17 U.S.C. § 107 of U.S. copyright law. All rights to third-party materials, including news and media content, remain with their respective owners. This episode includes the following sources: WCBI News, “Three Strikes Law.” http://youtube.com/watch?v=YoRB1In2Zpg 1800NoCuffs, “What Is the Three Strikes Law?” http://youtube.com/watch?v=YoRB1In2Zpg Greenwood Law, “Still Doing Time: Sentencing Enhancements for Repeat Offenders” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTrSOWxdkGU&t=540s New York Times Retro Report: “Three Strikes & You’re Out: After 20 Years, Is the Law Working?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_hTTiT0ATA Stay engaged with HABITUAL and Colorado Radio for Justice: https://www.radioforjustice.org/habitual © 2026 Colorado Radio for Justice - HABITUAL All Rights Reserved
HABITUAL is a podcast from Colorado Radio for Justice. Herbert Alexander was labeled by the state as a "habitual criminal." Now, he pulls back the curtain on three-strikes laws in Colorado and across the U.S. With co-hosts Seth Ready and Ryan Conarro, Herbert shares his story, and he unfolds a chilling investigation of the statute’s roots, consequences, and costs - from exponential sentences, to pressured plea bargains, to the shocking, little-known origin story of this law. Over five episodes, HABITUAL weaves firsthand accounts from people sentenced as habitual criminals; expert insights from legal scholars and legislators; victims and their advocates; and raw, intimate conversations with families and communities living in its shadow. For more on HABITUAL, visit https://www.radioforjustice.org/habitual
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Observed September 20, 2026.
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