The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Challenge What You Thought You Knew

Lisa Reilly; Radio Host, Creator, Executive Producer and Podcaster
  • 5.0 (8)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hi, I'm Lisa Reilly, and this show is built on one simple belief: true stories can change how we see each other. Each week, I have the privilege to sit down with people from within the various criminal and social justice systems and organizations, including those with lived experience and those working to bring compassion and resources both behind and beyond the walls. All of them approach their lives and work with grit, hope, and purpose, which is what we're here to share because there's always a voice ready to challenge what you thought you knew. THIS IS THE HUSTLER FILES

  1. 5D AGO

    FOSTERING CHANGE, ONE CHILD AT A TIME

    From surviving abuse, instability, and homelessness to building a national nonprofit to helpfoster children, this is the powerful journey of Rob Scheer, founder of the organization Comfort Cases. After experiencing firsthand the harsh realities of the foster care system where children often carry their belongings in trash bags, Rob turned his story into a movement focused on restoring dignity, comfort, and a sense of worth to kids in crisis. In this conversation, Rob shares the deeper challenges within foster care, including trauma, invisibility, and the long-term impact on children who age out of the system. Rob also reflects on resilience, personal responsibility, and the moment he chose a different path, one that now impacts hundreds of thousands of lives across the country. With 700 children in the United States entering foster care EVERYDAY, Rob is truly compassion in action, seeing what others overlook, and proving  how one person's lived experience can spark meaningful, systemic change.

    28 min

  2. 5D AGO

    IT'S OKAY TO SAY THE F WORD

    From a felony to the CEO of a Global foundation, Michelle Cirocco knows firsthand that second chances work, because she lived it. After serving time in prison, Michelle rebuilt her life by taking a job at a call center, inside a local correctional facility. Today, she leads the Televerde Foundation, helping incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women gain workforce credentials, employment, and long-term success. With over 5,000 women served and a recidivism rate that is under 2%, Televerde's model is transforming reentry outcomes and economic impact across states like Arizona and Indiana. In a powerful and heartfelt conversation, Michelle talks about leadership, the stigma of having a felony, workforce development, her 'Cinderellas', her pet peeves, why failure is not the end, and that it's okay to say the F word.

    28 min

  3. FEB 6

    INTELLECTUAL ESPRESSO

    Tore Price was serving time behind the wall, in Michigan, when he learned about the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program being taught by the University of Michigan. According to Tore, there were 1,000 incarcerated individuals who rushed to sign up for the weekly class with students from the University. With only 15 slots available lady luck was definitely on Tores side. When asking him to describe the Inside-Out Program, his words were short and sweet, intellectual espresso.  For Tore, this was the launching pad that propelled him to not only continue to educate himself but also be an advocate for other incarcerated individuals. Having served his ten-year sentence, Tore is now a training coach and special program coordinator for the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program.  Proof that education is a tool for resistance, dignity, and collective liberation.

    28 min

  4. FEB 5

    FROM LECTURE HALLS TO BEHIND THE WALL | LIFE, INSIDE OUT

    While prisons in the United States offer a variety of educational pursuits, it only took a brief conversation between a college educator and an incarcerated individual for the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program to be born. Four decades later, the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is still going strong, thanks to Founder, Lori Pompa. Lori's vision to bring her students, from Temple University to interface with incarcerated individuals, in a unique classroom setting, behind the wall, was not only a leap of faith but ahead of its time.  In Lori's own words, "It is a class, though not an ordinary one. In this class roles are intermingled; everyone is the teacher, and everyone is the learner."  Staying in step with her college classes timeline and curriculum, this powerful education model changed the narrative for all. Once a week for an entire college semester, students around the world arrive at local prisons and sit in Lori's now famous circle of curriculum, compassion, and collaboration. All these years later, this innovative model continues to foster dialogue and understanding between incarcerated individuals and college students while continuing to grow organically. Today more than 1600 college/university professors, along with other educators, and 15 countries around the globe, teach Inside-Out courses.

    27 min

  5. JAN 23

    GUIDED BY EXPERIENCE + GROUNDED BY SCIENCE = CHANGING OUTCOMES

    Dan Sheridan and Ashley Anderson are both PhDs and licensed behavior analysts, but don't let their titles fool you; their work at Auburn University is no desk job. In partnership with the Alabama Department of Youth Services, Dan and Ashley headup a team of undergraduate students, graduate clinicians, and full-time staff who provide support for juvenile offenders within a local secure residential facility.  Listen in as they share their insights on the intersection of research, education, and lived experience, and how these elements can create transformative outcomes for young people at critical turning points in their lives. The conversation highlights the importance of behavior analysis in reducing recidivism and addresses the root causes of crime, emphasizing the necessity for community involvement in supporting youth reintegration.

    28 min

  6. JAN 11

    THE REALITY IS IN THE NUMBERS

    Welcome to Season 4! Wanda Bertram from the Prison Policy Initiative stops by to discuss the latest insights and highlights on current incarceration rates, parole, juvenile justice, and how women incarcerated in the U.S. compare to other states and countries . While the statistics are alarming when reading the 'whole pie' research that the Prison Policy Initiative is known for, the truth of the criminal justice system in America is hard to ignore. Today's conversation on detention centers, youth confinement, and incarcerated women invokes the sad reality that systemic issues continue to contribute to mass incarceration in the U.S. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that highlights the continued need for reform and increased compassion within the criminal justice system.

    28 min

  7. JAN 11

    GRIT, GRACE & NOT A GANGSTER

    Leadership was always in the cards for Kristin Kline. Despite being incarcerated, it only took one coach in an Arizona women's prison to encourage Kristin that she had leadership qualities and wasn't a gangster.  Finding faith in herself, she launched a workout program for the women in her prison section and took to the prison yard to improve the mental health and healing of her podmates. In this episode, Kristin discusses her transformative journey from incarcerated leadership to entrepreneurial empowerment. Kristin shares her experiences of resilience, the importance of addressing trauma, and her dedication to helping women rewrite their stories through fitness and community support, both behind and beyond the wall, with her fitness organization CONVICTED Comeback.  Tune in to discover how one person's comeback can inspire a movement for change and hope.

    28 min

  8. 12/27/2025

    30 YEARS AND 30 FEET FROM DEATH'S DOOR

    Anthony Ray Hinton was 29 years old when falsely accused of multiple murders. With no money to hire an attorney and up against a criminal justice system that accused him based on the color of his skin and a false ballistics test, he spent 30 years on death row, only feet away from the execution chamber at Holman State Prison in Alabama. In this emotional episode, Ray shares his harrowing journey through the criminal justice system, the injustices he faced, and the resilience he cultivated during his time in prison. His story is one of hope, forgiveness, and the unwavering support of his Mother and best friend, Lester. Tune in to hear about Ray's fight for freedom, his experiences on death row, and the lessons he learned about love and justice.

    28 min
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About

Hi, I'm Lisa Reilly, and this show is built on one simple belief: true stories can change how we see each other. Each week, I have the privilege to sit down with people from within the various criminal and social justice systems and organizations, including those with lived experience and those working to bring compassion and resources both behind and beyond the walls. All of them approach their lives and work with grit, hope, and purpose, which is what we're here to share because there's always a voice ready to challenge what you thought you knew. THIS IS THE HUSTLER FILES

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