In Episode 323 of the Everyday Injustice podcast, host David Greenwald interviews Eric Morrison-Smith, Executive Director of the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, about the need for criminal justice reform, systemic inequality, and the importance of investing in life-affirming alternatives to punitive systems.
Meditation has been shown to have a transformative effect on incarcerated individuals, helping them to manage anger, stress, and existential questions, and providing them with a sense of inner peace that can aid in successful reentry.
Pamela Winn, an Atlanta-based activist, shares her experience of being incarcerated while pregnant and subjected to brutal conditions, highlighting the need for dignity, care, and accountability in the carceral system.
Andre Brown had his conviction vacated in 2022, only to face the threat of being sent back to prison after the appellate court reversed that ruling nearly two years later, highlighting the systemic issues of the legal system and the importance of persistence in the fight for exoneration.
Hakeem McFarland, founder of the Choose Yourself Movement, emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one’s own well-being through small, repeatable actions, and creating an “integrity loop” of accountability and support to disrupt cycles of self-neglect and avoidance.
Gary Tyler was arrested at age 16 in 1974 for a crime he did not commit and spent 41 and a half years in prison before being released in 2016 due to a legal compromise, despite overwhelming evidence of injustice.
The Everyday Injustice Podcast discusses a new statewide study revealing that California dramatically underfunds its public defense system, resulting in an imbalance of 77% more spent on prosecution than defense, and calls for a shift in narrative and investment in public defense to create a more equitable justice system.
Former federal prosecutor Jared Fishman discusses the 2005 killing of Henry Glover by New Orleans police officers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the systemic failures and institutional breakdown in American policing and the need for real public safety reform.
Adam Clausen, after being sentenced to 213 years in federal prison, has emerged as a national leader advocating for justice reform and second chances, using his story to inspire change and promote a justice system focused on restoration.
Tony Viola, a former Cleveland real estate professional, was wrongly accused and convicted of stealing $46 million in the nation’s largest mortgage fraud case, but was later exonerated after evidence of prosecutorial misconduct was revealed.
Kara Gotsch, Executive Director of The Sentencing Project, discusses the ongoing challenges and progress of ending mass incarceration in the US, advocating for capping sentences at 20 years and emphasizing the importance of storytelling to reframe justice as restoration.
Anna Vasquez, a survivor of a wrongful conviction in the 1990s, now dedicates her life to helping others avoid the same fate through her role with the Innocence Project of Texas.
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price’s Communications Director, Hon. Ryan LaLonde, reveals the chaos and disarray of her first 90 days in office, including a lack of digital tools, rogue prosecutors leaking internal matters, and a hostile media ecosystem.
A Sacramento lawsuit challenging police violence during the 2020 George Floyd protests has resulted in a monetary settlement, but the court refused to impose lasting injunctive relief, leaving the plaintiffs and advocates frustrated and vulnerable to repeat abuse.
The DC Justice Lab, founded by law students seeking change after George Floyd’s murder, is a major force for reform in Washington, D.C., advocating for data-driven, equity-based policies and fostering the next generation of advocates to build a more just and equitable legal system.
Corinna Lane, a former prosecutor, discusses the flaws in the US death penalty system, the pharmaceutical crisis that halted lethal injection, and the humanity of those on death row in her book Secrets of the Killing State.
Maria Foscarinis, a former Wall Street lawyer and advocate for homeless rights, discusses the roots of the modern homelessness crisis and the need for systemic change to ensure that everyone has a safe place to live.
Author Andrew Brininstool’s forthcoming book High Desert Blood tells the story of the 1980 New Mexico prison riot, which left 33 people dead and exposed systemic neglect in the correctional system, with the aim of ensuring this dark chapter is not forgotten and not repeated.
Emily Salisbury, Director of the Utah Criminal Justice Center, discusses how women are the fastest-growing population in U.S. carceral systems and the importance of trauma-informed assessments and policies that treat people with dignity.
The Dumond Affair is a cautionary tale about the erosion of legal standards when ideology eclipses evidence, and the consequences of political intervention in the justice system.