There’s something about true crime that hooks people. Podcasts, documentaries, Netflix specials—somehow, we can’t look away. But here’s the twist: While we binge on stories of infamous cases, grisly details, and courtroom dramas, what happens to the real people involved? And what does this say about our sense of justice?

Today’s episode, True Crime vs. True Justice, explores the ethics of our obsession with crime stories. We’re diving into questions like: Where’s the line between raising awareness and exploiting victims? And how does the true crime craze shape our understanding of justice—or our misunderstandings?

"Innocent until proven guilty" is a bedrock principle of American criminal law. The idea is simple: The prosecution bears the burden of proving someone’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Until they do that, the defendant is supposed to be treated as innocent.

Notice I said “supposed to be.”

Because in practice? It is often a different story.

Today, we explore the legal concept of "innocent until proven guilty" - discussing how bail, the court of public opinion, and true crime media impact innocence in the American criminal legal system.

Today we’re diving into a topic that intersects reproductive rights, incarceration, and systemic inequities. It’s heavy, but trust me, it’s a discussion we need to have.

If you thought life behind bars was tough, imagine navigating pregnancy, giving birth, or even thinking about abortion access in those conditions. Spoiler alert: it’s an uphill battle.

Remember Dobbs? That 2022 ruling rocked the nation by overturning Roe v. Wade, shifting the power to regulate abortion to individual states. Suddenly, states became the referees of reproductive rights. The results? Some states banned abortion almost entirely, while others doubled down on protections. This legal patchwork has affected millions, and while we’ve heard much about what this means for the general public, incarcerated women often get left out of the conversation. So today, we’re putting them front and center.