Fred Christy and Frank Carney discuss life, family, youth, and demographics in Chicago. Includes Studs Terkel interviewing a group of teenagers who call themselves the D.J.'s. about their life and ambitions.

Interviewing Frank Carney, Susie Gelaga, Linda (daughter-in-law), Molly (daughter), and Fred Christy. They discuss the youth in Chicago, their own life experiences, and wants.

Miss Dillon discusses being a bookseller, bookselling, and life in London. [Interview with Miss Dillon ends at 41:27] James Cameron discusses law and order, Chicago, and spending time with Studs Terkel. Studs Terkel interviews them in England. Includes the songs "Amazing Grace" and another song called "Amen".

Discussing the book, "Getting out," and interviewing its author, Edgar Smith. Topics include imprisonment, the legal system, and capital punishment. Includes a clip of an interview with Hermann Field a former Polish prisoner. Includes clip of an interview with former prison inmate Jimmy Blake.

Dennis Brutus discusses and reads his poetry. He discusses life in South Africa. Dennis Brutus reads poems from his books of poetry "Sirens, Knuckles and Boots", "A Simple Lust", and "Letters to Martha and Other Poems from a South African Prison". Includes music in the beginning. Includes a clip of Albert Lutuli speaking.

Judith Todd, daughter of prime minister of Rhodesia, discusses the book "Right to say no"; Dennis Brutus, poet and involved in protest of Rhodesia taking part in 1972 Olympics, and John Fry pastor First Presbyterian Church and social writer, race, South Africa, and Rhodesia. Excerpt from interview of people in South Africa - a guide, an Afrikaner, and a Chicago policeman regarding race (1895817-6-1 South African Tapes). The three were brought together to have a round table discussion about race relations in South Africa.

Congressman Herman Badillo discusses the prisoner uprising at Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York, and how race played a role in the unwarranted killing of inmates and the subsequent government and administrative cover up of the incident. Badillo reads excerpts from his book, "A Bill of No Rights: Attica and the American Prison System," and discusses prisoner rights, rehabilitation, and the endemic injustice and racism in the American prison system.

Bess Myerson discusses her career including her experiences as Miss America and as Commissioner of Consumer Affairs for New York City.

Robert Vaughn takes time out from his Drury Lane appearance in "Tender Trap" to discuss his new book "Only Victims" with Studs Terkel. The discussion spans the years 1938 when Martin Dies became the first House Committee on Unamerican Activities (HUAC) chairman to Vice President Spiro Agnew's condemnation of the "New York Times" and "Washington Post". Vaughn created the title of his book "Only Victims" from a Dalton Trumbo speech that reflected back on the era of HUAC as being one where there were no heroes, no villains, only victims.

Studs tours the prison and speaks with prison director Jean Blayrat and a lady referred to as Madame B translates. They talk about the crimes of the a few of the prisoners and the rehabilitation programs the prison system uses in France.

Madame B. translates for Studs as he speaks with two inmates. Both inmates work in the prison one as a cook and the other as a librarian. Studs talks to each of the inmates about their early life, their work in the prison and their rehabilitation. Madame B is interviewed after the visit to the prison, and she speaks about her volunteer work at the prison. Following the interview, there is a postscript in which Madame B. records "notes" for Nelson Algren and Herman and Mrs. Kogan. Once he is on his own, Studs explains that Madame B.

After writing the book “Flying High” about her experiences as an airline stewardess, Elizabeth Rich moved on to research the trend of skyjacking in her second book “Flying Scared: Why We Are Being Skyjacked and How to Put a Stop to It.” Rich is one of the first people to conduct a study on these crimes, and criticizes both the US government and Federal Aviation Administration for essentially ignoring repeated skyjacking.

Discussing capital punishment with author Nelson Algren. Includes interviews with William (Bill) Witherspoon, a death row inmate; Jack Johnson, warden of Cook County Jail; and an [unidentified woman] who marched in protest at the execution of James Dukes in 1962.

Discussing "How the Good Guys Finally Won : Notes from an Impeachment Summer" and interviewing Jimmy Breslin.

James Mills, a novelist and journalist, talks to Studs about his book "Report to the Commissioner". Mr. Mills and Studs discuss the story and Mr. Mills goes in depth into the process of police detectives working a case. Studs plays an excerpt of a Chicago policeman talking about working on the tactical squad on the police force. The policeman tells of how they go into a neighborhood as civilians to stop crime.