Deserts West Obsessed: The prison economy traps the innocent How a town dependent on incarceration came to be and what that meant for one asylum-seeker.

In this episode of West Obsessed, the editors and writers of High Country News reflect on the story of Adelanto, California, a prison town that reflects Western truths of reinvention and subjugation. We take you inside a detention facility designed for the innocent. Why does such a place exist at all? And why was it built in the American West?

“West Obsessed” is an occasional audio series produced in collaboration with KVNF community radio in Paonia, Colorado, where the editors and writers of High Country News discuss stories about the American West and why they matter. Subscribe to the podcast on: Google Play, iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher