On Episode 330 of the Everyday Injustice podcast, host David Greenwald examines one of the most overlooked yet devastating aspects of the criminal legal system: the widespread use of fines and fees as a mechanism of punishment and revenue generation. Joined by Joanna Weiss and Priya Sarthy-Jones of the Fines and Fees Justice Center along with Tiffany Shaw of JusticeLink, the discussion explores how court-imposed debt traps millions of Americans in cycles of poverty, instability and repeated contact with the justice system. The episode highlights the distinction between punitive fines and the growing array of fees imposed simply for interacting with the legal system. The guests explain how people can be charged for public defenders, probation appointments, incarceration and other mandatory services, effectively transforming the justice system into a system financed on the backs of poor people. Weiss argues that while some monetary penalties may be appropriate if proportionate, fees themselves have “no place in the justice system,” particularly because they disproportionately burden low-income communities and communities of color. Much of the conversation centers on the real-world consequences of court debt. Shaw shares her own experience navigating incarceration, probation and thousands of dollars in fines and fees while struggling to maintain housing, employment and basic stability. The guests describe how driver’s license suspensions for unpaid debt often create a downward spiral in which people lose employment opportunities, continue driving out of necessity and face additional criminal charges simply because they cannot afford to pay. According to the discussion, reforms advanced by the Fines and Fees Justice Center have already generated at least $37.5 billion in relief nationwide, though the speakers argue the true economic and human costs remain far greater. Throughout the episode, the panel argues that the current system undermines public safety rather than promoting accountability. Research discussed during the interview suggests that unaffordable fines and fees are associated with higher recidivism rates and deeper economic insecurity, while reforms eliminating debt-based driver’s license suspensions and justice system fees have broad bipartisan support across the country. Greenwald closes the episode by emphasizing that meaningful accountability should help people rebuild their lives rather than permanently trapping them in debt and instability.

In Episode 329 of Everyday Injustice, the podcast features a wide-ranging and deeply probing conversation with UCLA professor Terrence Keel, a leading scholar examining the intersection of race, science and public institutions. The discussion centers on his new book, The Coroner’s Silence, which investigates how death investigations—particularly in cases involving police custody—can obscure rather than illuminate the truth. Drawing from years of research and analysis of hundreds of autopsy reports, Keel argues that official records often contain narratives that deflect responsibility away from law enforcement and toward the bodies of those who have died. Keel explains that his work was partly inspired by national reactions to the killing of George Floyd, particularly the controversy surrounding the autopsy findings that created ambiguity about the cause of death. That moment raised broader questions about how medical examiners frame deaths in less visible cases—those without video evidence or public scrutiny. According to Keel, these patterns are not isolated but systemic, revealing how forensic language, institutional relationships and embedded biases can shape outcomes in ways that undermine accountability. Throughout the episode, the conversation expands beyond individual cases to examine structural issues within the death investigation system. Keel highlights how medical examiners and coroners, often portrayed as neutral scientific authorities, operate within political and bureaucratic frameworks that may influence their conclusions. He points to conflicts of interest, including situations where law enforcement agencies are directly involved in or present during autopsies, raising serious concerns about independence and transparency. These institutional dynamics, he argues, contribute to a broader failure to accurately document deaths in police custody. The episode ultimately situates these findings within a larger critique of the criminal legal system, emphasizing how gaps in mental health care, housing and social services have led to increased reliance on policing as a default response. Keel underscores that many of those who die in custody are among society’s most vulnerable, and he calls for systemic reform that includes independent oversight, improved transparency and a rethinking of public safety itself. The conversation offers both a sobering assessment of current realities and a framework for understanding how institutional practices shape public narratives about justice and accountability.

On Episode 328 of Everyday Injustice, host David Greenwald speaks with Matilde Hernandez, a wellness consultant, author and speaker whose life was transformed by incarceration and the long journey that followed. Hernandez shares how a first-time case in Georgia led to a prison sentence she says she did not fully understand, and how the experience forced her to confront trauma, shame and the challenge of rebuilding her life after release. In a deeply personal conversation, Hernandez explains that incarceration is not only a physical place but also a mindset that can continue long after someone returns home. She describes the emotional toll of separation from her children, the burden of self-doubt and the years it took to truly forgive herself. Her story highlights the hidden barriers many formerly incarcerated people face, including stigma, housing insecurity, employment discrimination and untreated mental health struggles. The discussion also centers on resilience and purpose. Hernandez talks about writing her book, Beyond These Walls, and the message behind its title: the internal walls people build out of shame, fear and pain can be dismantled. She reflects on how mentorship, therapy and faith helped her move forward, and why healing often begins when people believe they are still worthy of growth and opportunity. Now nearing completion of her doctoral program, Hernandez is focused on helping justice-impacted youth build stable futures through mentorship, life skills and guidance. Episode 328 is both an inspiring personal testimony and a broader conversation about what true reentry should look like when society chooses restoration over punishment. It is a powerful reminder that people are more than the worst thing that has happened to them—and that every story can be rewritten.

In a wide-ranging conversation on Everyday Injustice, economist and policy researcher Jennifer Doleac argued that criminal justice reform should be driven less by ideology and more by evidence. Discussing her book The Science of Second Chances, Doleac said policymakers often adopt programs that sound compassionate or politically attractive without testing whether they reduce crime, improve lives or save money. Her central message was direct: governments should be willing to try new ideas, measure outcomes honestly and “fail fast” when programs do not work. Doleac, now with Arnold Ventures, explained how economists use natural experiments to study policies that cannot ethically be tested through randomized trials. She pointed to research showing that increasing the certainty of being caught can deter crime more effectively than simply increasing sentence lengths. Using state expansions of DNA databases as one example, she said evidence suggests stronger detection tools may reduce repeat offending more than long prison terms, which she described as costly and often less effective once people age out of crime. The interview also explored reforms that have fallen short. Doleac said research on “ban the box” hiring policies found unintended consequences, including increased racial disparities in hiring, while clean slate record-sealing laws have shown little measurable impact on employment outcomes so far. Rather than removing information and hoping behavior changes, she argued policymakers should identify what employers fear and directly address those concerns through better incentives, training and risk-sharing mechanisms. Despite those critiques, Doleac struck an optimistic note. She said many effective reforms are practical, bipartisan and already within reach, from improving crime clearance rates to expanding interventions that help people avoid repeated system involvement. The larger challenge, she said, is cultural: rewarding leaders who admit when something is not working and pivot quickly toward better solutions. For a justice system often trapped between punishment politics and reform slogans, the interview offered a different framework — humility, experimentation and results.

A newly discussed investigative report is drawing renewed attention to allegations that contaminated water and failing infrastructure at Mule Creek State Prison may be harming both incarcerated people and residents in the nearby town of Ione. Journalist Emily Nonko said the issue has received far too little public scrutiny despite what she described as a major environmental and infrastructural breakdown. She noted that state agencies, prison officials and even many people directly affected appear to know little about the full scope of the problem. According to Nonko, the reporting began after incarcerated sources raised concerns about unusual illnesses, foul-tasting water and widespread sickness inside the prison. She said the investigation gained traction when prior litigation forced admissions that key infrastructure systems had broken down, giving reporters documentary evidence to pursue a deeper story. Nonko and co-reporter Dave Razorbab then expanded the investigation through interviews with attorneys, local officials, staff members and town residents. The report alleges decades of plumbing failures, wastewater mismanagement and possible contamination linked to prison operations. Nonko said residents with private wells found chemicals such as caffeine and dry-cleaning compounds that appeared tied to industries operating at the prison. She also described a broader accountability vacuum, saying multiple public agencies redirected responsibility rather than clearly identifying who was responsible for protecting water quality. Nonko said the story remains ongoing, with additional residents and former staff continuing to come forward. She argued that the crisis illustrates how prison conditions do not remain behind prison walls, but can directly affect surrounding communities as well. As public pressure grows, the investigation raises larger questions about environmental oversight, transparency and whether California officials will be forced to confront a problem critics say has been ignored for years.

In the latest episode of Everyday Injustice, host David Greenwald sits down with historian Professor Josh Clark Davis of the University of Baltimore to explore a critical but often overlooked dimension of the civil rights era—organized resistance to police violence. Drawing from his new book Police Against the Movement, Davis challenges conventional narratives that frame police brutality as something endured rather than actively resisted, arguing instead that civil rights activists across the country directly organized against policing practices and state repression. The conversation situates contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter within a deeper historical lineage, pushing back against the common media framing that modern activism represents something entirely new. Davis explains that while iconic images of police violence in Birmingham and Selma are widely remembered, far less attention has been paid to the ways civil rights groups—particularly organizations like CORE and SNCC—mobilized protests, sit-ins, and campaigns specifically targeting police misconduct and surveillance. A key theme of the discussion is the role of local police departments—not just federal agencies like the FBI—in suppressing justice movements. Davis highlights the widespread use of “red squads,” local intelligence units that conducted surveillance, infiltration, and political repression across the country. These efforts, he argues, were national in scope and often more pervasive than commonly understood, reshaping how historians should interpret state power during the civil rights era. The episode concludes by connecting these historical patterns to present-day concerns, including the expansion of surveillance technologies and the persistence of aggressive law enforcement tactics. Davis emphasizes that both the methods of repression and the strategies of resistance—such as documenting police actions and organizing community defense—have deep roots in the civil rights movement, underscoring the enduring relevance of this history in understanding today’s struggles for justice.

In Episode 324 of the Everyday Injustice podcast, host David Greenwald sits down with Kandia Milton, government affairs director at Dream.org, for a wide-ranging conversation on criminal justice reform, reentry, and the persistent structural barriers facing people returning from incarceration. Milton brings a rare dual perspective to the discussion, combining more than two decades of policy experience with lived experience of incarceration—an intersection that shapes both his advocacy and Dream.org’s mission to “close prison doors and open doors of opportunity.” The conversation centers on a critical but often overlooked issue: how systemic barriers—particularly in housing—undermine public safety by making successful reentry nearly impossible. Milton explains how federal policy dating back to the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act allows landlords to deny housing based solely on prior drug convictions, a restriction that continues to affect millions of people today. He argues that repealing these provisions through the proposed Fair Future Act would not only restore basic rights but also reduce recidivism by removing one of the most significant obstacles to stability after incarceration. Greenwald and Milton also explore the surprising, if fragile, potential for bipartisan cooperation in criminal justice reform. Despite deep political polarization, Milton points to areas of shared concern—housing affordability, public safety, and access to opportunity—as entry points for cross-partisan collaboration. While acknowledging the challenges of advancing reform in a polarized political climate, he notes that support for removing barriers to reentry has emerged across ideological lines, suggesting that pragmatic solutions may still be possible even amid broader dysfunction. Ultimately, Episode 324 underscores a central theme: if society is serious about safety, it must invest in people rather than punishment. From housing access to job opportunities and mental health care, the episode makes a compelling case that reducing recidivism—and strengthening communities—requires a shift away from punitive systems toward policies that enable stability and success. As Milton puts it, the question is not whether people will return to society, but whether they will be given a real chance to succeed when they do.

In Episode 323 of the Everyday Injustice podcast, host David Greenwald sits down with Eric Morrison-Smith, Executive Director of the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, for a wide-ranging conversation on criminal justice reform, systemic inequality, and the urgent need to rethink how society responds to harm. The discussion traces Morrison-Smith’s personal journey into advocacy, from his early experiences as a college athlete to a political awakening shaped by the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown and the broader movement for racial justice. Morrison-Smith describes how his initial exposure to structural analysis—particularly through Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow—shifted his understanding from individual responsibility to systemic causation. That shift ultimately led him into organizing, policy work, and leadership in a statewide network advancing anti-racist reforms. His trajectory underscores a central theme of the episode: meaningful change requires not only personal commitment but also a deep engagement with the institutional frameworks that shape outcomes across education, policing, and economic opportunity. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on youth justice, including efforts to end “endless probation” for young people in California. Morrison-Smith explains how prolonged system involvement often worsens long-term outcomes, reinforcing cycles of instability rather than promoting rehabilitation. He highlights firsthand accounts from incarcerated youth and emphasizes the importance of clear pathways out of supervision, noting that hope and a defined endpoint are critical to any meaningful reform effort. The episode also explores broader policy initiatives, including campaigns to reduce reliance on punitive systems, expand community-based responses to crises, and address the root causes of violence—particularly intimate partner violence and economic instability. Morrison-Smith argues for a dual strategy of dismantling harmful institutions while investing in “life-affirming” alternatives, from youth employment programs to community-led safety initiatives. As the political climate shifts toward more punitive rhetoric, the conversation highlights both the challenges and the necessity of continuing reform efforts grounded in equity, accountability, and systemic transformation.

A groundbreaking Oklahoma law intended to provide relief to survivors of domestic violence serving long prison sentences is revealing just how difficult it remains for the criminal legal system to grapple with trauma, accountability, and mercy. Investigative journalist Pamela Colloff, who reported on the issue for ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine, said the Oklahoma Survivors Act was designed to allow courts to reconsider sentences for people whose crimes were directly connected to abuse they endured. Yet despite the promise of reform, the law’s implementation has exposed deep resistance within the system. The law emerged from a recognition that many people—particularly women—are imprisoned for crimes committed in the context of domestic violence. Some cases involve survivors who killed their abusers, while others involve people coerced into criminal activity or charged in “failure to protect” cases where a partner harmed a child. The statute requires judges to determine whether abuse was a “substantial contributing factor” to the offense and allows courts to reconsider lengthy sentences imposed during the tough-on-crime era of the 1980s and 1990s. Early hopes that the law might provide meaningful relief have largely gone unrealized. Lisa Moss, who served more than three decades for her role in the killing of her abusive husband, remains the only person released under the statute so far. Numerous other petitions have been filed, but many applicants—some elderly and incarcerated for decades—have been denied resentencing after contentious courtroom hearings that often scrutinize the details of their abuse. Colloff’s reporting suggests that prosecutorial resistance has become a central barrier. Prosecutors have argued the law could invite exaggerated claims of abuse and open the door for sentence reductions in violent felony cases. Advocates, however, contend the law is intentionally narrow and requires corroborating evidence. The broader debate highlights a deeper question confronting the criminal legal system: whether courts can meaningfully recognize the role of trauma in shaping criminal behavior while still balancing accountability and justice for victims.

A new episode of the Everyday Injustice podcast examines the controversial case of Curtis Davis Jr., a Mississippi man whose conviction is raising troubling questions about prosecutorial conduct, plea bargaining and the withholding of potentially exculpatory evidence. The episode features a conversation with Maurice Clifton, a criminal justice advocate who has been investigating the case and pushing for a closer review of the circumstances that led Davis to accept a plea deal. According to Clifton, Davis accepted the plea while under intense pressure from investigators who warned that he could face far more serious charges if he went to trial. Clifton describes a system in which prosecutors stack charges and threaten lengthy sentences in order to secure guilty pleas, even in cases where the evidence may be weak or incomplete. Once a plea is entered, Clifton explains, it becomes extremely difficult to reopen the case—even if new evidence later emerges. The podcast discussion highlights what Clifton says are serious inconsistencies in the Davis case, including forensic evidence that reportedly fails to connect Davis to the crime scene. According to the interview, DNA and fingerprint evidence did not implicate Davis, and key physical evidence was not disclosed until months after the plea was entered. Clifton argues that these circumstances raise questions about whether Davis fully understood the evidence—or lack thereof—before agreeing to the plea. The episode also situates the case within a broader pattern of alleged prosecutorial misconduct in parts of Mississippi. Clifton points to the record of former district attorney Doug Evans, whose prosecutions—including the widely known Curtis Flowers case—have repeatedly been overturned due to withheld evidence and other violations. Advocates say the Davis case reflects deeper systemic issues in the criminal legal system, where pressure to secure convictions and plea agreements can sometimes overshadow the pursuit of justice.

On the latest episode of Everyday Injustice, host David Greenwald sits down with historian Stuart Schrader of Johns Hopkins University to examine the political rise of police unions and their growing influence in American public life. Schrader’s forthcoming book, Blue Power: How Police Organized to Protect and Serve Themselves, traces how police organizations transformed themselves from fraternal associations into formidable political actors capable of shaping legislation, contracts and public narratives about crime and public safety. The conversation situates that evolution within a broader history of the “war on crime” and the bipartisan embrace of tough-on-crime politics. Drawing on his earlier work, Badges Without Borders, Schrader explains how federal crime legislation in 1968 and the creation of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration poured resources into local police departments. What began as a moment of federal expansion became a catalyst for police leaders and rank-and-file associations to see political advocacy as essential to protecting institutional power. The episode explores how national organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police and later police unions leveraged Washington relationships while simultaneously reshaping local politics. The discussion moves city by city—from Detroit and New York to Baltimore, Milwaukee and San Francisco—to show how police labor organizations refined tactics ranging from contract battles and strike threats to media campaigns and coordinated political pressure. In Baltimore, a failed experiment with an AFSCME-affiliated union and a subsequent strike reshaped the trajectory of police representation. In Milwaukee, a combative relationship between union leaders and a powerful chief helped export organizing strategies nationwide. Across these cases, Schrader identifies a consistent pattern: police organizations blending labor-style mobilization with a distinctive form of political leverage rooted in public fear of crime. In the final segment, Greenwald and Schrader turn to the present moment, including the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protests and the renewed politics of “law and order.” They analyze how police groups use news cycles, viral incidents and public safety narratives to assert bargaining power, even as other unions have declined. The episode offers a historically grounded framework for understanding contemporary debates about crime, reform and accountability—highlighting how decades of organized political engagement have positioned police institutions at the center of America’s justice discourse.