The Right On Crime Podcast

Forensic autopsies are more than medical examinations. They are critical tools in the pursuit of justice. In this episode, ROC's Maggie Horzempa sits down with Carley Widner and Nikki Pressley to explore the difference between forensic and clinical autopsies, the growing shortage of forensic pathologists, and how autopsy backlogs can impact law enforcement, prosecutors, corrections, and families s...

In this episode of the Right On Crime Podcast, Idaho State Director Molly Lenty sits down with Idaho State Rep. Chris Mathias for a wide-ranging conversation on women’s incarceration and criminal justice policy in their state. They discuss key drivers behind incarceration trends, including the role of technical violations of supervision, the impact of domestic and sexual violence on women, and how...

Access to a bank account is something most people take for granted—but for many individuals returning from incarceration, it can be one of the first and most significant barriers to rebuilding their lives. In this episode, ROC’s Danny Murphy and Kurt Altman explore how being unbanked forces people into a cash-only economy at a time when most transactions are digital, limiting access to housing, em...

In this episode, ROC’s Ross Jackson and TPPF’s Derek Cohen discuss how second chance banking and hiring practices can expand opportunity while maintaining important safeguards for both individuals and financial institutions. Their conversation highlights how thoughtful, structured approaches to reentry can help people rebuild stability through access to work and financial services. They also explo...

In this conversation, ROC's Nikki Pressley and Ross Jackson break down what clearance rates actually represent, why they matter for public safety, and how resources, staffing, and investigative capacity impact whether crimes are solved. They also explore why the certainty of being caught is one of the strongest deterrents to crime, and what it means when that certainty is low.

North Carolina State Director Maggie Horzempa, joined Senior Policy Analyst Ross Jackson to break down how driver’s license suspensions for non–public safety reasons are affecting everyday North Carolinians. From missed work opportunities and barriers to employment, to the ripple effects on families and the state workforce, these policies often create more instability than accountability. Instead...

In this episode of The ROC Podcast, Idaho business leader Joey Looney joins Idaho Director Molly Lenty to discuss the transformative power of second chance hiring. Drawing from his own experience with incarceration and recovery, Joey shares how giving individuals with criminal records a chance to work can change lives, strengthen families, and help businesses grow. The conversation highlights the...

In this episode of The ROC Podcast, Arkansas Director Wil Cheatham joins Britt Allen to discuss what’s working in reentry—and where policy can do more. Drawing from Wil’s visits to reentry facilities across the state, they explore how different models, from faith-based to workforce-focused, are helping individuals successfully transition back into society. The conversation highlights the importanc...

In this episode, Right On Crime Idaho State Director Molly Lenty joins Britt Allen to explore the connection between reentry, employment, public safety, and why second chance hiring is becoming a key part of the conversation in business. From rising incarceration rates despite declining crime, to the real barriers people face when returning to rural communities, the discussion highlights how gaps...

Communities are strongest when young people are given the opportunity to succeed. In this episode of The ROC Podcast, Carley Widner sits down with Café Momentum Ambassador Tristyn Williams to share her personal experience in the Café Momentum program and how it is transforming lives. They discuss what Café Momentum does, why its model works, and how providing structure, mentorship, and workforce d...

In this episode, Dwight Hudson sits down with Carley Widner to share his firsthand experiences touring reentry facilities and seeing the impact of comprehensive programming. From peer-led skill development inside prisons to housing, employment support, and accountability on the outside, reentry programs give people the tools and guidance they need to rebuild their lives. Dwight breaks down how add...

In this episode of The Right On Crime Podcast, Arkansas State Director Wil Cheatham sits down with Jim Bell, owner of Hidden Creek, a reentry facility partnering with the state corrections department to prepare individuals for life after incarceration. By allowing participants to spend the final months of their sentence in a structured program, Hidden Creek combines accountability with opportunity...

When a caregiver is incarcerated for a low-level, nonviolent offense, the consequences often extend far beyond the individual—separating families and destabilizing households even when safer alternatives may be available. In this episode of The Right On Crime Podcast, ROC’s Joey Comley joins Britt Allen to discuss Kentucky’s Family Preservation and Accountability Act, a proposal that allows judges...

Prosecutor initiated resentencing (PIR) gives prosecutors the flexibility to reassess past cases, right-size sentences, and strengthen public safety. ROC’s Frank Russo and Marilyn Davidson join The Right On Crime Podcast to break down how PIR balances accountability and fairness, why courts and corrections work better when resources are focused, and how this approach saves taxpayer dollars while p...

We get text reminders for doctor appointments and haircuts — but not always for court. In this episode, ROC State Directors Maggie Horzempa, Marilyn Davidson, and Frank Russo break down how court text notification systems reduce missed appearances, save taxpayer dollars, and protect officer safety. They also discuss why critics are wrong about cost concerns, and how simple technology can strengthe...

Georgia’s legislative session is underway, and public safety is the focus. In this episode of The ROC Podcast, ROC’s Frank Russo breaks down what being pro-public safety really means: supporting law enforcement, strengthening reentry programs, and improving occupational licensing to remove barriers to work. We also discuss a unified court system and the Survivors Justice Act, which holds trafficke...

What happens when a technical mistake turns into a federal crime? In this episode of The Right On Crime Podcast, Attorney Alex Rienzie breaks down how his client, professional trail runner Michelino Sunseri, took the wrong trail in Grand Teton National Park and was criminally charged — despite causing no harm. Rienzie and ROC’s Rachel Wright discuss how a well-intentioned law was misapplied, why i...

Pre-trial decisions have real consequences for public safety. In this episode, ROC Oklahoma Director Marilyn Davidson is joined by Texas Director Nikki Pressley and Americans for Public Safety President Justin Keener to discuss how risk-based pre-trial assessments can help judges in Oklahoma make smarter, fairer decisions—keeping high-risk individuals off the streets, preventing unnecessary detent...

What happens when a simple mistake becomes a criminal charge? In this episode of the Right On Crime Podcast, ROC National Policy Director Rachel Wright sat down with professional trail runner Michelino Sunseri to unpack how taking the wrong trail in Grand Teton National Park led to criminal charges — and a firsthand encounter with overcriminalization.

On this episode of The ROC Podcast, CEO of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program Chris Valka joined ROC's Nikki Pressley to discuss the mission of PEP, how the program encourages rehabilitation, and why second chances lead to public safety.

Oklahoma Secretary of Public Safety, Tricia Everest, joined ROC’s Oklahoma Director Marilyn Davidson for a conversation about fixing Texas’ broken bail system and how a constitutional amendment allowing judges the discretion to deny bail for the most dangerous repeat offenders would improve public safety.

On this episode of The Right On Crime Podcast, Louisiana Director Dwight Hudson sits down with Britt Allen to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in Louisiana’s criminal justice system. Dwight shares what first inspired him to get involved in justice reform, how Louisiana is learning from Texas on bail reform, and why reentry programs are key to lowering recidivism and producing better...

Executive Director of the Louisiana Parole Project, Andrew Hundley, joined ROC’s Dwight Hudson to discuss how earned rehabilitation and smart parole policies strengthen public safety. By holding offenders accountable and giving them a path to become taxpaying, contributing citizens, communities are safer, stronger, and more secure.

Right On Crime's new Georgia State Director and National Expert on Human Trafficking, Frank Russo, sits down with Britt Allen for a conversation on protecting victims of trafficking, supporting law enforcement, and the current state of criminal justice policy in Georgia and the nation.