Producer Dan Collison of Long Haul Productions follows the journey of James Robinson, a 38-year-old ex-offender, as he makes the transition from repeated prison sentences to life in the free world. After a 7-year prison term, James arrives at St. Leonard's halfway house for ex-offenders in Chicago. He tells the staff that he needs to "learn to live," knowing full well how hard it is to transition back to society on his own. "James' Story" chronicles James' hard work over the course of ensuing three months; job training, drug counseling and 12-step support meetings. During his stay at the halfway house, James also finds his "dream" job and reconnects with family members, including an eighteen-year-old son he hadn't seen since the child was four.

The Soundprint documentary series features the best work of top radio producers. The award winning documentaries are renowned for drawing the listener into the story with compelling interviews, authentic voices and rich sound. From memoirs to science, health and popular culture, Soundprint creates a powerful experience the listener will not soon forget. Learning to Live: James Story was produced by Long Haul Productions in association with Chicago Public Radio. Here are some related Soundprint documentaries:

The Changing Face of Neighborhood Crime Produced by: Askia Muhammad

Kids and Guns Produced by: Maria Hinojosa

Peanut King’s Children Produced by: Deborah George

Soundprint Executive Producer: Moira Rankin

Technical Director: Anna Maria de Freitas

Editor: Gary Covino

Managing Producer: Sesh Kannan

Field Producer: Katie Gott

Audio Engineer: Jared Weissbrot

Production Assistant: Amanda Klonsky and Anu Yadav