Chicago Justice Podcast

Tracy Siska
  • 4.3 (3)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Weekly

The Chicago Justice Podcast challenges the stories we're told about crime, public safety, and justice. Instead of accepting headlines, political talking points, or conventional wisdom at face value, we dig deeper to uncover what the data, research, and lived experiences actually reveal. Each episode features candid conversations with journalists, researchers, advocates, policymakers, and people working to transform the justice system from within. Together, we examine the policies, institutions, and power structures that shape who is criminalized, who is protected, and who is left behind. From policing and police accountability to gun violence, surveillance, incarceration, public records, government transparency, and criminal justice reform, we explore the complex issues driving today's debates about safety and justice. Some conversations are uncomfortable. Others are infuriating. All of them are necessary. Grounded in evidence, accountability, and a commitment to challenging dominant narratives, The Chicago Justice Podcast goes beyond sound bites to expose how systems really work and whose interests they serve. If you're ready to question assumptions, confront hard truths, and explore what real justice and public safety could look like, this podcast is for you.

  1. 3d ago

    Gendered Police Violence: The Crimes the Media Won't Name

    Send us Fan Mail Police shootings make headlines. Police officers sexually abusing children and adults rarely do. This week we sit down with Rachel LaPointe, a social worker turned independent investigator, who tracks gendered police violence across the country: officers caught paying minors for sex, school resource officers abusing students on duty, and departments that quietly rehire known offenders after six-figure settlements. We dig into why prosecutors almost never hold these officers accountable, and why the media routinely softens coverage, describing abuse of a minor as an officer who "had sex with a student," as if a child can consent. Rachel explains the institutional complicity behind these cases, including a school district police force that hired an officer whose former department had already paid $1.5 million to settle a sexual misconduct claim. A difficult but necessary conversation about power, silence, and what real accountability would require. Follow Rachel's ongoing investigations: TikTok: @rachel_mle Instagram: @rachelmlap Substack: genderedpoliceabuse.substack.com

  2. Sep 7

    Beyond Curfews: DC Councilmember Zachary Parker on Youth Gatherings

    Send us Fan Mail DC Councilmember Zachary Parker (Ward 5) joins us to unpack one of the most misunderstood issues in local politics today: youth gatherings and the media and political rhetoric that surround them. We ask a question many officials avoid: should cities respond with more policing and curfews, or invest in the root causes driving young people to gather in the first place? Councilmember Parker makes the case for the latter. He walks us through his work partnering with DC's Department of Parks and Recreation to build community-based alternatives that have already reached thousands of youth across the District, alongside a real slowdown in large, unplanned gatherings. We also dig into DC's juvenile curfew laws, why the social science says they don't work, and what happened when Parker invited young people themselves to a roundtable to explain, in their own words, why curfews might actually be backfiring. A candid conversation about policy, politics, and what it actually takes to solve a problem instead of just reacting to it.

  3. Aug 31

    The Conviction Integrity Unit Under Eileen O'Neill Burke: A New Direction, Fewer Exonerations?

    Send us Fan Mail This week on the Chicago Justice Podcast, we sit down with Injustice Watch Senior Reporter Dan Hinkel to examine the changing role of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) under State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke. Cook County has recorded more exonerations than any county in the United States, a reflection of decades of police misconduct, coerced confessions, official corruption, and other systemic failures that have led to approximately 440 wrongful convictions being overturned. Yet despite that history, the CIU's approach to reviewing innocence claims appears to be shifting. Hinkel discusses how O'Neill Burke has signaled that convictions should only be overturned when there is definitive evidence proving innocence, such as DNA evidence. Critics argue that standard ignores the reality that DNA evidence is rarely available in the types of cases that typically reach conviction review units and could significantly limit future exonerations. We also explore the philosophy behind Conviction Integrity Units, whether prosecutors can objectively review convictions obtained by their own offices, the role of outside experts in innocence investigations, Kim Foxx's record on exonerations, and O'Neill Burke's history handling wrongful conviction cases. If Cook County's Conviction Integrity Unit is changing course, what does that mean for people seeking to prove their innocence? Listen as Dan Hinkel helps unpack one of the most important criminal justice debates facing Cook County today. Guest: Dan Hinkel, Senior Reporter, Injustice Watch Topics Covered: Cook County's history of wrongful convictions and exonerationsThe Conviction Integrity Unit under Eileen O'Neill BurkeWhether DNA should be required to overturn convictionsConflicts of interest within conviction review unitsKim Foxx's record on exonerationsCertificates of InnocenceThe future of innocence claims in Cook County🎧 Subscribe to the Chicago Justice Podcast for in-depth conversations on criminal justice, policing, courts, government accountability, and public policy.

  4. Aug 24

    Turner’s Outdoorsman, Crime Guns, and What the Data Reveals | Ft The Trace’s Aaron Mendelson

    Send us Fan Mail New reporting from The Trace has shed light on an important question in the gun violence prevention space: Why are firearms sold by certain retailers showing up in criminal investigations at disproportionately high rates? In this week’s episode, we take a deep dive into data connecting California-based firearm retailer Turner’s Outdoorsman to a higher-than-expected number of guns later recovered as crime guns. According to reporting by The Trace, firearms sold by the retailer have consistently appeared in crime gun traces at rates that exceed expectations, raising questions about firearm diversion and gun trafficking patterns. We also examine the concept of “time-to-crime,” a metric developed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that measures the time between a firearm’s initial retail sale and its recovery by law enforcement. A short time-to-crime can be an important indicator for investigators seeking to identify potential straw purchasing schemes and other forms of firearm trafficking. Joining us is Arron Mendelson, Data Journalist at The Trace, who walks us through the reporting, explains how crime gun tracing data is analyzed, and discusses what these findings may reveal about the movement of firearms from legal sales into criminal activity. We also explore the limitations of the data, the broader role of gun retailers in preventing firearm diversion, and what policymakers, researchers, and advocates can learn from these trends. Whether you’re interested in gun violence prevention, firearm trafficking, public safety, criminal justice, or investigative journalism, this conversation provides an in-depth look at how data can help uncover patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. Listen now to learn: What crime gun tracing data can tell us about firearm trafficking Why Turner’s Outdoorsman has drawn attention from researchers and journalists How the ATF’s time-to-crime metric works What short time-to-crime rates may indicate The challenges and limitations of analyzing crime gun data What these findings mean for public safety and gun violence prevention efforts

  5. Aug 17

    The Right to Know Under Threat? California’s AB 1821 Explained with Sean McMorris

    Send us Fan Mail California’s public records law is designed to give residents access to government information, but proposed changes to Assembly Bill 1821 (AB 1821) could significantly reshape how that access works in practice. In this episode, we sit down with Sean McMorris, Transparency, Ethics & Accountability Program Manager at California Common Cause, to discuss the ongoing debate surrounding AB 1821 and what it could mean for government transparency, public oversight, and the public’s right to know. Sean breaks down the bill’s proposed amendments, including provisions that could increase costs for public records requesters, extend response times for government agencies, require requesters to disclose why they want records, and, in certain circumstances, allow government entities to challenge or sue requesters based on their intended use of the information. We explore the broader implications for journalists, watchdog groups, community organizations, researchers, and everyday citizens who rely on public records laws to hold government accountable. What is at stake for transparency in California, and how could these changes affect the future of public access to government information? Whether you’re concerned about open government, freedom of information, public accountability, or civic engagement, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Topics covered: California Assembly Bill 1821 (AB 1821) Public records and FOIA-style laws Government transparency and accountability Open government and ethics reform Access to public information Public records request costs and delays Civic engagement and democracy California Common Cause

  6. Aug 10

    The NYPD’s Secretive Community Response Team: Misconduct, Power, and Accountability

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when a police unit operates outside traditional oversight and is staffed by officers with troubling disciplinary histories? In this episode, we take a deep dive into the New York Police Department’s Community Response Team (CRT), a controversial unit that has drawn scrutiny for its aggressive tactics, alleged constitutional violations, and lack of accountability. We examine reporting that raises serious questions about the unit’s operations, including allegations that CRT officers repeatedly engaged in unconstitutional stops, searches, and enforcement actions. Our discussion also explores the makeup of the unit itself, including the significant number of officers assigned to CRT who have histories of sustained misconduct complaints. We unpack what that says about police culture, leadership, and the broader challenges of reform. Perhaps most troubling, we examine claims that the unit functioned outside the NYPD’s traditional chain of command, with key decisions allegedly driven directly by Mayor Eric Adams’ office rather than department leadership. What does this mean for transparency, accountability, and democratic oversight of policing? Joining us is Eric Umansky, Editor-at-Large at ProPublica, whose investigative reporting helped uncover the inner workings of the CRT and the political dynamics surrounding the unit. This is a critical conversation about policing, public accountability, constitutional rights, and who really controls law enforcement in one of the nation’s largest cities.

  7. Aug 4

    Who Is Being Watched? The Geography of ALPR Surveillance

    Send us Fan Mail More than 100,000 Automated License Plate Reader cameras are now operating across the United States, feeding data into networks shared by thousands of police departments and federal agencies. But where are these cameras located, and who is most affected by this growing surveillance infrastructure? In this episode, we speak with Professor Steven Keener of Christopher Newport University, first author of the recent study “Surveillance Inequality: Race, Poverty, and the Geography of Automated License Plate Reader Deployment.“ Together, we explore the findings of the research and what they reveal about the relationship between surveillance, race, poverty, and community impact. As part two of our series on Flock Safety and ALPR technology, this conversation examines how these systems work, how data is shared among more than 3,000 law enforcement agencies, and why these developments are generating growing concern among researchers, advocates, and community members.

  8. Jul 26

    Flock Security and the Rise of Mass Vehicle Surveillance | Featuring Jon McCray Jones

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we begin a special series examining the rapid expansion of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology and the growing privacy and civil liberties concerns surrounding its use. Flock Security, one of the nation’s largest ALPR providers, reports that more than 100,000 cameras have been deployed across the United States. These cameras collect detailed information about vehicles, including license plate numbers, make, model, color, distinctive features, and the precise location and time of capture. Much of this data is accessible through a centralized network used by thousands of law enforcement agencies, raising important questions about surveillance, accountability, data sharing, and constitutional protections. To help unpack how these systems work, what information they collect, and how they are increasingly being used by local police departments, we are joined by Jon McCray Jones, Policy Analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin. Together, we explore the capabilities of Flock cameras, concerns about warrantless access to vehicle location data, the potential for misuse, and the broader implications for privacy in an era of expanding surveillance technologies. This is the first installment of a multipart series investigating ALPR systems, their impact on communities, and the policy debates shaping their future. Topics discussed: What Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are and how they work Flock Security’s nationwide camera network Vehicle tracking, data collection, and retention practices Information-sharing among thousands of law enforcement agencies Privacy, civil liberties, and Fourth Amendment concerns Transparency, oversight, and accountability challenges The potential role of federal agencies and data access questions What communities should know about surveillance technology in their neighborhoods Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts to help more listeners find these important conversations about privacy, policing, and civil liberties in America.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Chicago Justice Podcast challenges the stories we're told about crime, public safety, and justice. Instead of accepting headlines, political talking points, or conventional wisdom at face value, we dig deeper to uncover what the data, research, and lived experiences actually reveal. Each episode features candid conversations with journalists, researchers, advocates, policymakers, and people working to transform the justice system from within. Together, we examine the policies, institutions, and power structures that shape who is criminalized, who is protected, and who is left behind. From policing and police accountability to gun violence, surveillance, incarceration, public records, government transparency, and criminal justice reform, we explore the complex issues driving today's debates about safety and justice. Some conversations are uncomfortable. Others are infuriating. All of them are necessary. Grounded in evidence, accountability, and a commitment to challenging dominant narratives, The Chicago Justice Podcast goes beyond sound bites to expose how systems really work and whose interests they serve. If you're ready to question assumptions, confront hard truths, and explore what real justice and public safety could look like, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Tracy Siska
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    142
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Chicago Justice Podcast
  • Show Website
    Chicago Justice Podcast

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