Criminal INjustice

Are Parolees Ready For The Outside?

JoyBelle Phelan spent seven years incarcerated in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Today she runs Unbound Authors, a writing center active in 13 Colorado state prisons. She joins host Casey Krizman to make the case that the most important reentry skill isn't vocational training or a GED. It's communication. How to write a professional email. How to take feedback. How to work on a team. In this episode, JoyBelle breaks down why the reentry gap is structural, what it costs Colorado communities when over 6,000 people a year leave prison unprepared, and what you can do about it. Resources: Unbound Authors, https://unboundauthors.org/ [https://unboundauthors.org/] Colorado Radio for Justice: https://www.radioforjustice.org/podcasts [https://www.radioforjustice.org/podcasts]

The lawyers who battle corporations

Personal injury attorneys play an important role in fighting the INjustice system. If not for them, people injured by corporations and/or fighting an insurance company would be at the mercy of deep-pocketed corporations with armies of lawyers. In this episode, Casey Krizman sits down with Sean Olson, whose firm helps people injured in hospitals, oil fields, and roadways get their bills paid and reimbursement for other losses. The “PI attorneys” often get a bad rap, but Sean explains how the cases he has handled reinforce his confidence that he is, indeed, balancing the scales of justice for his clients.

UPDATE: Victory for No More Prisons Coalition

In this bonus episode of Criminal Injustice, Casey Krizman breaks down a historic win for criminal justice reform in Colorado. For the first time in 25 years, the Joint Budget Committee denied the Department of Corrections' request for 788 new prison beds—a direct result of advocates and lawmakers demanding smarter solutions. Casey explores what's really driving overcrowding, from underfunded parole systems and community corrections to low-level violations sending people back behind bars, and makes the case that common sense and compassion can replace the default impulse to cage more humans.

Wrongfully Accused: How a Father Fought the System and Won

In this episode of Criminal INjustice, defense attorney Casey Krizman sits down with fellow trial lawyer Eric Faddis to unpack one of Colorado’s most shocking wrongful prosecution cases. Eric shares the story of a father falsely accused of killing his infant daughter — and how the truth, buried under bias and bureaucracy, finally came to light. Together, Casey and Eric expose the human toll of the criminal INjustice system, the failures of medical and prosecutorial oversight, and the fight for reform inside and outside the courtroom. They discuss: --How tunnel vision and “baby killer” headlines nearly destroyed an innocent man. --What it takes to stand up to powerful prosecutors and expert witnesses. --Why independent medical review boards could save lives — and justice. --The media’s role in shaping public perception of guilt and innocence. If you care about truth, accountability, and real reform, this conversation will hit hard.

Why caging people doesn't work

In this episode, we sound the alarm on Colorado politicians' trend toward ineffective "tough on crime” laws. Defense attorney Casey Krizman speaks with Kyle Giddings, a lobbyist for the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. They unpack how punitive ballot measures and parole maneuvers cause unnecessary caging of humans. For the first time in 22 years, Colorado is faced with having to build more prison cells. Giddings debunks arguments for upcoming ballot measures that would increase sentences for fentanyl and theft, and that would increase the number of defendants caged before trial. Giddings argues in favor of investments in housing, treatment, and reentry. Learn how the No More Prisons Coalition is mobilizing voters to defend reform and fight crime through prevention. To join the No More Prisons coalition: https://www.ccjrc.org/get-involved/ [https://www.ccjrc.org/get-involved/] The CCJRC's "Crisis In Corrections" report, January 2024 https://www.ccjrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1-9-24-CCJRC-Crisis-in-Corrections-Inmate-Experience-Report-final-1.pdf [https://www.ccjrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1-9-24-CCJRC-Crisis-in-Corrections-Inmate-Experience-Report-final-1.pdf]