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Seg. 1: Stories From Solitary Confinement. Seg. 2: Will Social Security Be There For You?

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The Social Security fund is expected to be depleted in 2034

Segment 1: In states with no restrictions, prisoners can spend weeks, months or decades separated from the general population.

The punitive practice in the United States of placing prison inmates in solitary confinement is being challenged as a moral and civil rights issue. The punishment where convicts are isolated with minimum human contact has been viewed by those fighting to end it as cruel, inhuman and unnecessary. ACLU senior campaign strategist Taylor Pendergrass talked about the human cost of solitary, the psychological effects on prisoners and the consequences for the inmates and their families upon release.

Segment 2, beginning at 25:18: Getting the most out of your Social Security benefits.  

The current state of the Social Security fund shows it now paying out more than it is collecting in taxes, a trend that is expected to continue. This leaves some wondering how much longer the program will be around. Today our Smart Money Experts indicated who needs to worry, how the Social Security program could be kept solvent and offered tips to help you maximize what you collect in retirement.

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.