Science & Technology

How Radical Hospitality Can Change the Lives of the Formerly Incarcerated | Reuben Jonathan Miller

For the nearly 20 million Americans with a felony record, punishment doesn’t end after their prison sentence. A challenge to rethink the criminal justice system in the US — and make a place in society for all people, even those who’ve done harm. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized…

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For the nearly 20 million Americans with a felony record, punishment doesn’t end after their prison sentence. A challenge to rethink the criminal justice system in the US — and make a place in society for all people, even those who’ve done harm.

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You’re welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know.

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45 Comments

  1. silverlined69

    March 5, 2022 at 8:08 pm

    Why is it that when people bring up the blacks getting more for the same crime, don’t ever bring up the past crimminal history

    • silverlined69

      March 5, 2022 at 8:45 pm

      @newyorkeranew for someone who said no one should waste their time with me, you sure are doing that.

      So if I said black people instead of the blacks, would it really make any difference to you?

    • silverlined69

      March 5, 2022 at 8:50 pm

      @newyorkeranew my bad, I miss read that and thought it was painthuret

    • Frank Lopez

      March 5, 2022 at 8:55 pm

      Most BLM folks commit crimes PERIOD

    • Sentinel

      March 5, 2022 at 9:10 pm

      @newyorkeranew Some people might think in a similar manner when talking about criminals. No excuses for your crime.

    • Udonkuku Sam

      March 5, 2022 at 11:40 pm

      And this is with the assumption that the blacks have a colorful criminal past unlike anyone else. I can only surmise that you do not view the blacks any different than yourself. You are merely regurgitating what you’ve heard. Black folks much like any other human group, have their flaws and challenges. They deserve the same grace afforded others to screw up and make right.

  2. Diogenes' Lantern

    March 5, 2022 at 8:11 pm

    Ah, my comment was delete lol. Go the blacks.

  3. Thaat 1 Guyy

    March 5, 2022 at 8:12 pm

    Wrong, look at the stats and the culture, only one culture makes billions bragging (lying) about being hard core, going to prison, dealing drugs and attacking cops.

  4. JogBird

    March 5, 2022 at 8:21 pm

    Places like NYC, SF are learning that liberal crime policies lead to more crime

  5. NMK One

    March 5, 2022 at 8:22 pm

    This is heartbreaking, incarcerated people are let down by the system at every point of their lives. Before when equity is denied and opportunities go to those who are favored by it, during prison time and especially after prison. It’s a shame that this is the best whites in power can do to add to changing this world for the better.

  6. Justin Gomez

    March 5, 2022 at 8:40 pm

    As one of the people you talked about, thank you for bringing this to light, I could never articulate the helplessness of this situation, thank you

  7. ROLAND HAWBIBATA

    March 5, 2022 at 8:41 pm

    Thank you 🙏

  8. Octos Alias

    March 5, 2022 at 8:41 pm

    We need better post-sentence rehabilitation. These people get back into the world and have no idea how to interact and are expected to get full time work

  9. Ima Starboy

    March 5, 2022 at 8:45 pm

    the problem is theres a lot of violent people that can’t simply be rehabilitated, the best thing we can do is keep violent criminals off the street, if u want to get into drugs and other non violent crimes we can but when it comes to violent criminals they have to be kept off the street and not saying no one can be helped (some people need medication or to be in a mental health hospital for better help or they need some better tools sure) but its very clear not everyone can be rehabilitated and the best thing for our society right now until we can rewire criminals brains and stop organized crime and gangs who have a deep thought process that you arent going to simply rehabilitate, best thing is to keep them off the street and locked up. otherwise show the proof of violent criminals being rehabilitated %100, when you get into these deep conspiracies these deep organized crime these religious fanatics you are not going to rehabilitate them, they need to be kept off the street and locked up. but yes when people serve their time and are being released there needs to be a clear pathway away from crime and as their release date gets closer with good behavior they need to be more incorporated into society and have a job ready and place to go etc. however they should not be given priority or special benefits they still need to put in work and prove to themselves they can do it without others having to carry their weight. some stuff needs work lot of stuff needs work, but you still need to keep violent criminals off the street. just because some stuff needs work doesnt mean you just start reducing sentences and being soft on violent crime or justice system being afraid to do your job because of someones race, they did the crime they gonna do the time so stop being a criminal we dont need to “balance” out race in jails that’s insane, just dont be a criminal and lets see their criminal record of repeating offenses. and sure lot of small drug crimes too many people in jail for, but its more complex you need to talk to police officers and others in the justice system about what that city is doing what they r doing and get deeper into it because every city and every criminal is not going to be handled the same way so you get into the giant complexities of the issue on a state to state basis and even a city to city basis but yes there is work we need to do but every prison and criminal is not going to be the same even city to city so you have to work on one piece at a time not just cookie cut the whole country.

  10. La Rabbitatouille

    March 5, 2022 at 8:47 pm

    That question of have you ever had a criminal record. Damn

  11. FillUmUpp

    March 5, 2022 at 8:47 pm

    i went to a highschool with a lot of bad kids. criminals. as the 4 years went by, most got expelled, some went to jail, and some died. By my senior year, our graduating class was full of mostly decent people and it was a great place to be. When i went to jail as an adult, i couldn’t remember being in a room with that many a-holes since my freshmen year! the crappy people in this world belong in jail. those people that punch random people in the subway, or the kid rapers should be isolated.. i wont lie and say its easy for me to get a job, or find a place to rent, but maybe it shouldn’t be.. actions need to have consequences.. i love the compassion, but the reality is that most homeless people are scum bags. most jail birds are scumbags! keep them tf away !!

  12. Beardy

    March 5, 2022 at 8:47 pm

    Thank you, Reuben Jonathan Miller. Your short talk got me emotional and just at the point of crying, it also gave me motivation and the words to express it into action. I hope to see and read more of your work.

  13. Gaasuba Meskhenet

    March 5, 2022 at 9:12 pm

    Desperate times lead to desperate actions. Give the people stability. No more evictions from primary residences!

  14. InMaTeofDeath

    March 5, 2022 at 9:34 pm

    Welp they had to defund the police in some places to understand why that’s a bad idea, I guess it seems history shall repeat itself here.

  15. Galleriet

    March 5, 2022 at 10:20 pm

    This guys acting like people aren’t in prison for a reason. There’s no excuse for crimes u commit unless it’s a pure accident. All the things u have to deal with when u get out, u should’ve thought about before u ended yourself up in prison like it’s common sense. Everyone struggles, we get it

    • james kirk

      March 5, 2022 at 10:46 pm

      In many liberal states like the one I live in (NY) they are passing laws to release early, or not require bail after offending, leaving them on the streets. And many criminals are re-offending, often violent crimes a second time. WTF? These laws he spoke of are not there to make us feel better? They are there to protect us, and then on top of it we are defunding the police to make it easier for ex-criminals to re-offend. That’s brilliant!

  16. Sassy Sarina

    March 5, 2022 at 10:49 pm

    I never knew 🤔🤔🤔

  17. Josh NT

    March 6, 2022 at 12:29 am

    Notice how activists are using the term Radical a lot lately, it’s entirely intentional. They’re trying to dilute and reframe the word.

    Leftists thrive off of deception and subversive language.

  18. Аб дулла

    March 6, 2022 at 8:21 am

    Ladies and gentlemen..

    Tradition of tolerance√
    I saw it firsthand in 🌏Indonesia.

    where devout Christians worshiped freely in an
    overwhelmingly Muslim country🌏. 

    That is the spirit we need today🌎. 

    People in every country should be free ★ ★ to choose and live their faith
    based upon the persuasion of the mind 🌎 and the heart 🌏 and the soul 🌏. 

    This tolerance │ is essential for religion to thrive, but it’s being challenged in
    many different ways.

    Among some Muslims, there’s a disturbing tendency to measure one’s own faith by the rejection of somebody else’s faith. 

    The richness of
    religious diversity must be upheld — whether it is for Maronites in
    Lebanon or the Copts
    in 🌏Egypt. 

    And if we are being honest,
    fault lines must be closed among Muslims, as well, as the divisions
    between Sunni and Shia │ have led to tragic violence✶,
    particularly in 🌏Iraq.

    Ladies and gentlemen..

    Freedom of religion│ is central to the ability of peoples to live together 🌏🌍🌎. 

    We must always examine the ways in which we protect it. 

    For instance,
    in the United States│ rules on charitable giving have made it harder for
    Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation.

    Thank you.
    And May God’s peace 🌏🌍🌎 be upon you all!

    GOOD HEALTH ALWAYS !!
    # I thank you.

    ###
    🌏

    .

  19. B Z

    March 6, 2022 at 11:38 am

    0:37

    TED already making everything about black people 🤑🤑🤑

  20. 🆃🅺𝓐 〘Pra𝖕a𝖙anKa𝖑i𝖘ar⃝i〙

    March 6, 2022 at 11:40 am

    سيداتي وسادتي..
    أمامنا خيارين إما تفكيك أو تغيره لمستقبل أفضل🌍 وأكثر استدامة وأمنا

    هذه لحظة محورية من أجل الكوكب🌍،

    علينا أن نجد سبيل لنعيد مد جسور الثقة بيننا ورعاية بعضنا بعضاً من أجل الإنسانية💚،
    وسعياً لتوحيد القوى لفتق أفق من الإحتمالات التي لا تحصى🌍،

    معا يمكننا بناءً مستقبل أفضل🌍.

    شكرا جزيلا لكم على وعي الفكر لمصلحة الجميع !!!.

    أنقذ شعبنا!.

    بصحة جيدة للجميع دائما!.

    أشكرك.
    😀

  21. 🆃🅺𝓐 〘Pra𝖕a𝖙anKa𝖑i𝖘ar⃝i〙

    March 6, 2022 at 11:40 am

    🇺🇳🇺🇳🇺🇳
    We
    have a RESPONSIBILITY to join together on behalf of the world that we seek
    — a world where extremists no longer threaten our people 🌏.

  22. 🆃🅺𝓐 〘Pra𝖕a𝖙anKa𝖑i𝖘ar⃝i〙

    March 6, 2022 at 11:42 am

    — Happy International Women’s Day! —

    ‘🌏Indonesian language.’
    Yang mulia, Bpk. President..
    Aku seorang Gadis yang cantik dan Manis.

    Aku juga admin. Kayak layaknya mereka Gadis Indonesia umumnya.


    Bpk. President..
    Setelah aku baca Sejarah,
    Mengapa Peristiwa-Berdarah selalu dimulai dari Europe?

    – World War I
    – World War II
    tambah lagi Europe: Mereka menyalakan Perang dalam Cold-War/ Perang dinging, antara Soviets dan USA.
    Kita pun secara tidak langsung, ikut terpengaruh dalam tragedy itu. Mengapa?

    Tuan Presiden..

    Bisnis mereka adalah Peperangan.

    Ya, dan Bagaimana tidak!
    Perdagangan mereka adalah; SENJATA, BOM,
    AMUNISI, dan PELEDAK.

    Sejatinya, merekalah: Perusak Bumi yang SEBENARNYA.

    Kemungkinan ya, Mereka akan meraup banyak UNTUNG
    dalam tiap – tiap peperarang itu.

    Namun, mengapa??

    – mereka menuding secara luas,

    bahwa:
    ” AGAMA adalah BIANG dari misi Perang-Dunia. ”

    ” AGAMA adalah Sumber penyebab
    dalam Conflicts berdarah berikutnya. ”

    Sungguh,
    Anggapan yang demikian, tidaklah selamanya benar!.

    Argument mereka, nampaknya Keliru.
    serta Ucapan mereka, ‘ hanyalah Omong Kosong.’

    Ketahuilah, setiap # Agama mengajarkan
    Kedamaian, mengatakan kebenaran bahwa:
    Membunuh satu orang tak bersalah,
    Sama halnya, merusak bumi dan membunuh umat Keseluruhan.

    Justru, # Agama sebagai soluti

    Tuhan menurun kan # KITAB SUCI.
    dan # PeranAgama di # Bumi🌎🌏🌍,
    itulah # Solusi.

    Thank you | Terimakasih.
    dan Salam Sehat!.

    We love you.
    🙂

  23. 🆃🅺𝓐 〘Pra𝖕a𝖙anKa𝖑i𝖘ar⃝i〙

    March 6, 2022 at 11:42 am

    ‘🌏Indonesian language.’
    Yang mulia, Bpk. President..
    Aku seorang Gadis yang cantik dan Manis.

    Aku juga admin. Kayak layaknya mereka Gadis Indonesia umumnya.


    Bpk. President..
    Setelah aku baca Sejarah,
    Mengapa Peristiwa-Berdarah selalu dimulai dari Europe?

    – World War I
    – World War II
    tambah lagi Europe: Mereka menyalakan Perang dalam Cold-War/ Perang dinging, antara Soviets dan USA.
    Kita pun secara tidak langsung, ikut terpengaruh dalam tragedy itu. Mengapa?

    Tuan Presiden..

    Bisnis mereka adalah Peperangan.

    Ya, dan Bagaimana tidak!
    Perdagangan mereka adalah; SENJATA, BOM,
    AMUNISI, dan PELEDAK.

    Sejatinya, merekalah: Perusak Bumi yang SEBENARNYA.

    Kemungkinan ya, Mereka akan meraup banyak UNTUNG
    dalam tiap – tiap peperarang itu.

    Namun, mengapa??

    – mereka menuding secara luas,

    bahwa:
    ” AGAMA adalah BIANG dari misi Perang-Dunia. ”

    ” AGAMA adalah Sumber penyebab
    dalam Conflicts berdarah berikutnya. ”

    Sungguh,
    Anggapan yang demikian, tidaklah selamanya benar!.

    Argument mereka, nampaknya Keliru.
    serta Ucapan mereka, ‘ hanyalah Omong Kosong.’

    Ketahuilah, setiap # Agama mengajarkan
    Kedamaian, mengatakan kebenaran bahwa:
    Membunuh satu orang tak bersalah,
    Sama halnya, merusak bumi dan membunuh umat Keseluruhan.

    Justru, # Agama sebagai soluti

    Tuhan menurun kan # KITAB SUCI.
    dan # PeranAgama di # Bumi🌎🌏🌍,
    itulah # Solusi.

    Thank you | Terimakasih.
    dan Salam Sehat!.

    We love you.
    🙂

  24. 阿卜杜·安拉٭٭٭⃝🇨🇳٭٭

    March 6, 2022 at 11:48 am

    It is time for us to act on
    what everyone knows to be true.

    Too many tears have been shed. 

    Too much blood has been shed. 

    All of
    us have a responsibility🌎 to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis
    and Palestinians can see their children grow without fear !!!.

    Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: “I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be.”

    Today, America has a dual responsibility:

    That experience guides my conviction that partnership between 🌎America and Islam
    — must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn’t√. —

    Thank you.
    *****

  25. 🇬█ 𝔎𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑚 𝔎alisari│

    March 6, 2022 at 11:58 am

    Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities, but also huge disruptions
    and # change in communities.

    In all nations🌍🌏– including 🌎America — this change can bring # fear.

    Fear that because of modernity we lose control over
    our economic choices,

    our politics,

    and most importantly our
    identities — those things we most cherish about

    our communities,

    our families,

    our traditions, and our faith.

    Oh
    United Nations | الأمـــــمُ المتّـحــــدَة

    But I also know that human progress cannot be denied.

    There need not be contradictions between development and tradition.

    Countries like
    🌏Japan | and 🌏South Korea | grew their economies enormously while maintaining distinct cultures.

    Thanks!.
    .

  26. 🇬█ 𝔎𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑚 𝔎alisari│

    March 6, 2022 at 11:59 am

    Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities, but also huge disruptions
    and # change in communities.

    In all nations🌍🌏– including 🌎America — this change can bring # fear.

    Fear that because of modernity we lose control over
    our economic choices,

    our politics,

    and most importantly our
    identities — those things we most cherish about

    our communities,

    our families,

    our traditions, and our faith.

    Oh
    TED✓

    But I also know that human progress cannot be denied.

    There need not be contradictions between development and tradition.

    Countries like
    🌏Japan | and 🌏South Korea | grew their economies enormously while maintaining distinct cultures.

    Thanks!.
    .

  27. Maybe You're Right😀

    March 6, 2022 at 12:05 pm

    and yes TED
    MAYBE YOU’RE RIGHT 👍!.

    We must say openly
    to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are
    said only
    behind closed doors. 

    There must be a sustained effort

    to
    listen to each other;

    to learn from each other;

    to respect one another;

    and to seek common ground. 

    As the Holy Koran tells us, “Be conscious
    of God and speak always the truth.” 

    That is what I will try
    to do today — to speak the truth as best I can,

    humbled by the task
    before us.

    TED 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
    Oh thank you for tolerance with me 👍.
    😀

  28. Kynaru Helio

    March 6, 2022 at 12:32 pm

    I’m about the rehabilitation, violence begets violence so the only way out is to know that bad actors will do bad things but most of the time I believe if someone believe someone to be the monster, they become what they are seen as. Same as if you believe them to be good, they do good. We are social creatures and these things matter so desperately… And it kills me inside to see such rebuke towards my fellow man… Like if someone just believed in them… What a different world it could be… We need to have it in our culture to forgive and lift each other up…. We can’t trust governments to do it, and we certainly can’t trust for profit prisons to… It falls to each of us to extend that trust, and it’s one of the hardest things to do… Especially if someone kills your loved ones… But living with that hate isn’t good either… It’s a sucky situation and it’s not fair… But serving that sentance and once served being forgiven is important. It will never be made right but humans are messy and complex and sometimes some people mess up too much and do something they can’t come back from… But if that was the narrative we had, we taught people as a culture that the guilt of taking a life is abhorrent and should be avoided. That’s far more effective than turning people into monsters. After all they are still human.

    It’s personal for me, I’ve had to go to court and threatened with it again because no one would believe me that I meant well. Like in the Highschool, a classmate left their camera at a satellite location of the school(off site of the main campus), and because I knew they were expensive I made sure to take it so I could hand it in. Since I didn’t have time to give it to a teacher and didn’t think it’d be an issue to turn it in the following day I took it home to keep it safe. Being a naive autistic (though not diagnosed at the time) kid and rushing in the morning I forgot the camera in my room and before I could bring it the next day I was told I’m a thief and a vilified, threatened with court and forced to confess for something I didn’t do… To accept a lie to avoid going back to court… Yes I made mistakes, I could have told someone I had it but I was never good with social stuff and it never occurred to me to be an issue. And in my ignorance and forgetfulness I get threatened and told I’m a monster… All to be “rewarded” with cookies and juice which I was too sick to my stomach and thus declined… Imagine if I had an advocate other than my parents… I probably would have graduated with honors like I did in college.

    How we view people matters so much… You see them as monsters you make it so easy for them to become one.. Sure there are bad actors doing bad things for dumb reasons but when you assume you know intent you can be far more villainous in your self-righteousness that you gleefully ruin someone’s life because you stopped looking at them like they are human… To me that’s far more monsterous.

    I spent every summer for 13 years when I was a kid going on mission trips to help people. Even when I went to court and the judge called me a bully when I was bullied on the bus and not allowed to sit in the only open spot on the bus, being shoved and hit that when I got pushed to far, tell them to stop, everyone egging them on and I snap and I hit back I’M THE BULLY… And got senticed to 40 hours community service when I was already doing 80 hours through my church, I could have hit two birds with one stone but even as a kid it felt wrong that even being unjustly punished to double dip, so I just belligerenty added the 40 hours on top of the 80 I was already doing as an excuse to do more. My parole officer told me I didn’t need to contact them anymore because they didn’t deem me a threat after just two weeks of my probation. And she was right.

    My reputation was awful but my character is strong and I know the truth despite what others care to think of me. But as a result… People tell me I’m nice or kind, my instinct is to not believe them or think they are trying to hurt me. That stuff is damaging and traumatic… And we incarcerated so many innocent people who, like me, just said they did something to avoid a worse fate or to just get it over with… What justice is being served then? Who will be at the advocates for the disenfranchised… It’s easy to believe in the bad in people’s hearts but I choose to believe the good, it’s a harder path but seeing people as human is a far better way of life in my eyes.

  29. riverspirit7

    March 6, 2022 at 1:54 pm

    Our poor steal and kill..so yeah, they’re punished

  30. Kevin Lee

    March 6, 2022 at 2:20 pm

    JUST A REFLECTION FOR THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN THE WORLD:
    The rise of dictators is mainly due to the lack of good sense of people, of those who easily become puppets of manipulative politicians, especially in times of crisis. And also by political parties that do not watch over the selfish and deficient actions of their representatives, but who do want to win the next elections! Therefore, the cause of a country falling into the disgrace of dictators is largely due to irresponsible bad presidents who have defrauded their people with their political games!

  31. Johnny Socko

    March 6, 2022 at 2:35 pm

    I get the feeling that the racist posts in this comments section are written by people who have a psychological need to feel superior based on the color of their skin, because they would feel like failures otherwise. Keep in mind that this country is great at making people feel that their failure to be well-off is a personal failing rather than a societal one.

  32. Chams ddine baji

    March 6, 2022 at 2:51 pm

    The way you talk is so good you have a lot of confidence and self-beleive alot of people including me didnt have that til i watched this thank you! And the idea is very good
    the only thing i cant understand is how this doesnt have more views

  33. Blasko xx

    March 6, 2022 at 3:37 pm

    Christina Yuna Le. Did what you asked and got what you expect.

  34. nickjoeb

    March 6, 2022 at 3:38 pm

    44000 that’s insane you’d have to read 121 regulations a day for a year to have parsed through them all.

  35. سیروس مریدی

    March 6, 2022 at 4:10 pm

    در صورت تغییر و تحول در خود شخص زمینه بازسازی و رشد چند برابری مهیا میشود انقلاب در روح روان و جسم

  36. سیروس مریدی

    March 6, 2022 at 4:17 pm

    In case of change in the person himself,the ground for multiplication of growth is provided.revolution in soul mind and body

  37. Kongolox

    March 6, 2022 at 8:22 pm

    Cruelty is the point.

  38. John Wilkinson

    March 6, 2022 at 11:20 pm

    but isn’t the USA the best thing in the world???????]

  39. Lasha Martashvili

    March 7, 2022 at 1:21 am

    Simply the fact that homelessness is illegal accurately depicts the true face of the nation that’s built and run the country.

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