The Hustler Files

"We could write this book together. We couldn't have written it apart." Those are the words of Dr. Kevin Wright, Director of the Center for Correctional Solutions at Arizona State University, discussing his co-authorship of the groundbreaking book, Imprisoned Minds: Lost Boys, Trapped Men, and Solutions from Within the Prison. But this co-authorship wasn't a typical collaboration, because the orig...

Elaine Lord may have been the youngest woman to become a Warden in the State of New York, but even before her appointment at Bedford Hills Correctional, she was on a mission to improve the incarcerated programs within the New York prison walls.  Before her retirement, Elaine dedicated 20 years to Bedford Hills, providing women behind bars a second chance. Her inspiring stories of the Children’s Ce...

A recent 2024 report estimates that 23.5 million people in the United States are in recovery from a substance use disorder based on data from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  Anyone going through recovery will tell you that having support and hope are essential to overcoming their addiction, whether or not they’ve served time behind the wall.  For John Sullivan and Charlie Worpek,...

Christie Johnson grew up believing she could get away with just about anything.  As a small-town Texas cheerleader, she thought she was untouchable, unstoppable, and immortal.  But addiction, a horrific accident while serving in the military, and time in prison shattered that illusion and sparked something far more powerful, an awakening like no other.  Christie’s journey is one of struggle, resil...

When Cary Sanders speaks, his calming tone and gentle cadence would never give you a clue that he had been arrested 17 times by the time he was 17.  Cary’s journey from his tumultuous past and time behind the wall to his current position as CEO of JUMPSTART South Carolina can only make one believe that Cary’s life has been guided by a higher power, and he would agree.  At JUMPSTART, Cary leads a t...

Barbara (Bobby) Blanchard is a passionate advocate who transitioned from a law career to further the impactful work of Sister Elaine Roulet at The Children’s Center in the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in New York State. In this episode, Bobby shares her journey of creating and overseeing programs that helped incarcerated women maintain their bonds with their children, and learn to be Mother...

Heather Canuel, a powerful activist, entrepreneur, mother, and grandmother, is also known for being the last woman to give birth while shackled to a prison bed in Illinois, more than 20 years ago. In this episode, Heather shares her harrowing journey through the criminal justice system, the trauma of her experience while being pregnant, and her fight for reform and justice for incarcerated mothers...

It may have taken multiple years, but Lisa Hall will tell you that it was a worthy and honorable mission to create a film dedicated to addiction and incarceration.  As an inspiring filmmaker and documentarian, Lisa dedicated herself to shedding a brighter light on a subject that impacts so many on a daily basis. In creating the film ’The Addict's Wake,' Lisa’s vision aimed to not only change the n...

Mark McBrine grew up on a farm and expected that to be his lifelong calling, but God had another plan.  When his father became ill and his family needed help running the farms, Mark, at the age of 49, became a Correctional Officer with the Maine Department of Corrections.  From there, it didn't take long for Mark to become the Food Service Manager at the Mountain View Correctional Facility.  When...

Whether you’re a sports fan or a parent in the stands, there is a distinct difference between the role of the Coach and the role of the Referees.  Nowhere is it more apparent than watching the 2025 NFL pre-season games to get a true perspective on the differences.  In this, part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Brian Lovins, President of Justice System Partners, Brian shares more about the transform...

In sports, there are Coaches and there are Referees, but what about in the criminal justice system? That was the question that Dr. Brian Lovins, currently President of Justice System Partners, asked himself during his tenure at the Harris County Correctional System as Assistant Director.  During that time, Dr. Lovins was tasked with developing and implementing agency-wide change plans to drive inc...

Every name has a meaning. The name Gemma refers to ‘a bud ready to grow independently’.  Appropriately, this name was chosen by the incarcerated women who originally founded The Gemma Project, a jail and prison reentry program to assist incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women with successful reintegration.  While reentry should be mainstream for all incarcerated individuals who are returning...

Jenifer McShane never planned on becoming an award-winning independent filmmaker, but life had other plans. From her early work on 'A Leap of Faith’, narrated by Liam Neeson, to her latest Netflix documentary, 'The Quilters', Jenifer shares her journey of storytelling that humanizes those behind both literal and figurative bars. But it is at the Missouri South Central Correctional Center, a Level...

Lara Love Hardin is a NY Times best-selling author, including a 2024 Oprah Book Club pick,  a 5-time NY Times bestselling collaborative author, a literary agent, a Mother, and a prison reform advocate. She’s also a former addict and justice-involved individual.  Lara’s memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing, is the transformational story of her life,...

In Episode 117, Sheriff Brad Burkhart inspired us with his commitment to help those justice-impacted individuals under his watch return to their communities with a new lease on life.  In this episode, we return to Hancock County, Indiana, to meet jail navigator Crystal Petty and former jail resident Danielle Brashear as they discuss the innovative programs implemented at the Hancock County Jail, f...

From a small-town upbringing, working in construction, to leading the Albany County Sheriff's Office, in New York State, Sheriff Craig Apple has placed a strong emphasis on programs that have drastically reduced recidivism and received statewide and national recognition.  From his day-to-day watch of 748 employees and 800-900 incarcerated individuals, he has built programs that will last long afte...

Drawing from his upbringing on an Indiana farm, Sheriff Brad Burkhart’s philosophy is grounded in the idea of “planting seeds of hope and opportunity” for those incarcerated individuals under his watch in Hancock County. With over 38 years of experience in law enforcement, Sheriff Burkhart shares his journey and has seen firsthand that in corrections, there is a need to prepare the ground for indi...

There aren’t many people who can transition from incarceration for a white-collar crime to CEO of an established educational nonprofit, but then again, Jeff Abramowitz is unlike most people you’ll ever meet.  As CEO of the critically acclaimed Petey Green Program, Jeff discusses the transformative power of education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, a firsthand experience he...

In Franklin County, Massachusetts, Sheriff Lori Streeter may be the newest female Sheriff in Massachusetts.  She joins Sheriff Donna Buckley of Barnstable County as one of two female Sheriffs across the Commonwealth, but Sheriff Streeter is also the first female Sheriff to be appointed, in her County by the Governor. (She takes over for Sheriff Donelan, who retired early.)  With over 35 years of e...

Upon driving into the State of Maine there is a sign that reads, ‘WELCOME TO MAINE, THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE’. For thirty-eight years, Kevin Joyce, the current Sheriff of Cumberland County, Maine, has made it his mission to ensure that his county, which includes the city of Portland, Maine, lives up to its state motto. While the State of Maine, in general, is considered rural, Cumberland County is a...

In another milestone episode, retired prison Chaplain Peg Newman shares an insightful and heartfelt look inside her life journey at the intersection of faith, spirituality, and the criminal justice system. From her early work with AIDS patients to providing spiritual guidance to incarcerated individuals with life sentences or facing death and dying, her stories offer profound reflections from a co...

In part 2 of this gripping story, former Sheriff Rick Walter dives deeper into the complex and haunting case of murder victim Mischelle Lawless. After years of investigation and a wrongful conviction, Rick shares his journey of reopening the case, the obstacles he faced, and the truth he uncovered. This episode also delves into the themes of justice, perseverance, and the impact of systemic failur...

In Episode 108, Attorney Charlie Weiss shared the wrongful conviction and exoneration of Josh Kezer, a man who spent sixteen years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. That interview led to a compelling conversation with former Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter. Rick shares his harrowing experience of discovering the body of Mischelle Lawless in 1992 and the subsequent investigation by a previo...

Laurence Colletti is a seasoned podcast producer, writer, and attorney.  For over a decade, he’s brought to light the stories and critical issues surrounding prison reform and wrongful convictions while hosting the Legal Talk Network Podcast, and producing the For The Innocent Podcast. In this episode of The Hustler Files, Laurence shares his journey into podcasting, the emotional stories behind s...