The Chicago Justice Podcast takes apart the stories we’re told about crime and public safety. It doesn’t sanitize the truth about crime and justice—it interrogates it. We dig into the data, the policies, and the power structures that shape who gets punished, who gets protected, and who gets ignored. Some conversations are uncomfortable. Others are infuriating. All of them are necessary. Through data-driven analysis and hard, unfiltered conversations with researchers, reform advocates, and people challenging the system from the inside, each episode dismantles the myths that dominate public debate. From racial bias and police violence to surveillance, incarceration, and policy failures that devastate communities, we reveal how justice actually works—and who it really serves. If you’re willing to question what you’ve been told, confront what’s broken, and wrestle with what real accountability and safety could actually look like, this podcast is for you.
Chicago Justice Podcast
Claim This Podcastby Tracy Siska
Podcast Overview
The Chicago Justice Podcast takes apart the stories we’re told about crime and public safety. It doesn’t sanitize the truth about crime and justice—it interrogates it. We dig into the data, the policies, and the power structures that shape who gets punished, who gets protected, and who gets ignored. Some conversations are uncomfortable. Others are infuriating. All of them are necessary. Through data-driven analysis and hard, unfiltered conversations with researchers, reform advocates, and people challenging the system from the inside, each episode dismantles the myths that dominate public debate. From racial bias and police violence to surveillance, incarceration, and policy failures that devastate communities, we reveal how justice actually works—and who it really serves. If you’re willing to question what you’ve been told, confront what’s broken, and wrestle with what real accountability and safety could actually look like, this podcast is for you.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/5/2020
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Recent Episodes
August 10, 2026
The NYPD’s Secretive Community Response Team: Misconduct, Power, and Accountability
<p>What happens when a police unit operates outside traditional oversight and is staffed by officers with troubling disciplinary histories?</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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?</p> <p>Joining us is <strong>Eric Umansky, Editor-at-Large at ProPublica</strong>, whose investigative reporting helped uncover the inner workings of the CRT and the political dynamics surrounding the unit.</p> <p>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.</p>
August 4, 2026
Who Is Being Watched? The Geography of ALPR Surveillance
<p style="font-weight: 400;">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?</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, we speak with Professor Steven Keener of Christopher Newport University, first author of the recent <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6064548">study</a> “Surveillance Inequality: Race, Poverty, and the Geography of Automated License Plate Reader <a href="https://cnu.edu/faculty/stevenkeener.html">Deployment.</a>“ Together, we explore the findings of the research and what they reveal about the relationship between surveillance, race, poverty, and community impact.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">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.</p>
July 4, 2026
When Official Stories Collapse: The Brandon Webster Murder
<div> <p>What really happened on New Year’s Day 2019 when North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers shot and killed Brandon Webster?</p> </div> <div> <p>For years, the official account of the shooting was accepted by law enforcement leaders, government officials, and the <a href="https://www.wect.com/2026/04/30/new-report-reveals-state-officials-concealed-evidence-after-2019-shooting-involving-trooper/">media.</a> But behind the scenes, an internal investigation uncovered evidence showing that the trooper’s version of events could not have happened as reported. Despite those findings, both the Highway Patrol’s internal review and an investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation ultimately upheld the official narrative.</p> </div> <div> <p>This week, we’re joined by Joseph Neff of The Marshall Project, whose reporting <a href="https://www.themarshallproject.org/2026/04/22/north-carolina-trooper-shooting">exposed</a> the contradictions, the buried evidence, and the troubling questions surrounding the investigations that followed Webster’s death. Together, we examine how official narratives take hold, why conflicting facts were ignored, and what this case reveals about accountability, transparency, and police oversight.</p> </div> <div> <p>Listen as we unpack one of North Carolina’s most disturbing law enforcement cover-ups and the reporting that brought the truth to light.</p> </div>
138 total episodes available
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- What is Chicago Justice Podcast?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates weekly.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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