After seeing someone make an illegal left turn, Mike joked to his daughter that they should do a citizen’s arrest. She had no idea what he was talking about, and now Mike wants to know: wait, are citizen’s arrests actually a real-life thing, or just something he saw on TV? And if they are real, how do they work? And what do they say about crime and policing ... Show More
Feb 22
Make credit cards work for you
America runs on credit. Those plastic cards we carry around can get us into big trouble — or score us free vacations. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Avishay Artsy and Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted ... Show More
30m 12s
Feb 15
No one will save us but ourselves
When crises hit, neighbors turn to mutual aid. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images. If you have a ques ... Show More
30m 17s
Aug 2025
How can the president take over a city's police department?
On Monday, August 11th, Trump announced a takeover of Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan police. He also deployed National Guard troops and federal agents to the streets, all in the name of cracking down on crime. We called on political scientist and historian Dan Cassino to help us ... Show More
35m 1s
Feb 2021
Policing: A Cop's-Eye View - Dr. Michael Sanchez [S2 Ep.4]
My guest today is Dr. Michael Sanchez.
Michael is a criminal justice scholar with over 20 years of experience in the criminal justice system. He's been a detention officer, booking officer, patrol officer, patrol sergeant, administrative supervisor, training coordinator, firearm ... Show More
1h 5m
Mar 2024
How did Lochner v. New York end up on the naughty list?
Lochner v New York, a 1905 Supreme Court case about working hours and contracts, is considered anti-canon. Right up there with Dred Scott, Plessy and Korematsu. The question is, how did it get there? Why do people think it's so bad? And what does this decision, and the era that f ... Show More
40m 7s
Nov 2022
Snitches Get Stitches with Alexandra Natapoff (S3 Ep.38)
My guest today is Professor Alexandra Natapoff. Alexandra is a law professor at Harvard University. She writes about criminal courts, public defense, plea bargaining, wrongful convictions, and race and inequality in the criminal justice system. Her new book, which is an expanded ... Show More
53m 44s
Nov 2024
Lawyer X: Could a bunch of gangland criminals soon be free?
There’s been a major development this week for the appeal hopes of one of the country’s most notorious criminals. Tony Mokbel, who became a household name during Melbourne’s gangland wars in the early noughties, could soon walk free, after a judge ruled his lawyer had perverted t ... Show More
12m 27s
Jul 2025
Can college survive Trump?
American higher education is under attack. Project 2025 laid out the battle plan pretty clearly: Get rid of the Department of Education, shut off federal funding, take control of the accreditation system, and take down diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. And in the end, ch ... Show More
57m 42s