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IT’S OKAY TO SAY THE F WORD

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

Release Date: 02/14/2026

WHEN CLASS ACTION WINS OUT OVER RETALIATION

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

Access to justice stops at the prison gates unless you happen to be incarcerated in one of the few states in the U.S. that has prisoner legal services available. For 9 plaintiffs and another 150 incarcerated men at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Massachusetts, legal help from Prisoner Legal Services and Hogan Lovells Law Firm was able to offer legal support, and won a $7 million landmark case, against the correctional center. In this episode of The Hustler Files, Lawyers of the Year, in Massachusetts, David Milton and Kayla Ghantous discuss the critical role of organizations...

WHEN YOUR SUPERPOWER STANDS AT THE INTERSECTION OF JUVENILES & JUSTICE

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

As attorney, youth advocate and Executive Director of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, Melissa Milchman’s “superpower” is bringing people and organizations together to improve the lives of children and youth, and strengthen communities across the U.S. Even today her mother says she’s been wearing her superhero cape since she was a child. In this episode, Melissa shares how collaboration across various juvenile justice systems, through her organization, regardless of politics or changing landscapes, remains essential to protecting young people and creating safer...

SHERIFF CALLS ICE ARREST ‘BUSH LEAGUE’

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

When a routine evening in Portland, Maine turned into a highly publicized arrest involving Federal Immigration Authorities: it sparked questions far beyond one incident and triggered a Sheriff showdown. In this episode, Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce unpacks the events surrounding the arrest of a correctional officer trainee by ICE during a federal operation known as Operation Catch of the Day. What followed triggered national headlines, protests, and a ripple effect inside the Cumberland County justice system including the removal of all ICE detainees from the county jail, and new...

ONE SYSTEM, TWO PATHS; RESTORATION VS. PUNISHMENT

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

Northwestern Massachusetts District Attorney David Sullivan is always up for a powerful conversation that challenges conventional ideas of justice, and what it truly means to serve a community. From traditional prosecution to innovative restorative justice practices, Sullivan shares how his office is working to balance accountability with opportunity, giving both victims and offenders, a voice in the process. Rooted in a model that dates back threethousand years, restorative justice shifts the focus from punishment to repairing harm, creating space for dialogue, responsibility,...

WHEN HOPE MEETS ACTION: LIVES RECLAIMED

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

In Part 2 of the conversation with the Seattle Clemency Project, we are joined by Brooke Kaufman, Director of Communications and Author, at the SCP, and client Grady Mitchell. In a deeply personal look at what clemency truly means, not just in policy, but in people’s lives, Grady shares his journey of transformation, purpose, and paying forward the hope he was given. It was his hope that helped him face unimaginable personal challenges with unwavering strength, during his 37-year incarceration. This episode goes beyond the legal process, revealing the human impact of second chances in a...

FINDING HOPE IN A NO-PAROLE STATE

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

In Part 1 of a two-part conversation, we sit down with leaders from an organization working at the intersection of justice, advocacy, and second chances. The Seattle Clemency Project is a lifeline for so many incarcerated individuals who may have been eligible for parole, if the State of Washington had a parole system. Musa Abul-Mateen, Executive Director of SCP, and a formerly incarcerated individual, and Jennifer Smith, Co-Founder and Development Director of SCP explore the shared humanity behind the system, challenging assumptions and the critical work being done to support...

FOSTERING CHANGE, ONE CHILD AT A TIME

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

From surviving abuse, instability, and homelessness to building a national nonprofit to helpfoster children, this is the powerful journey of Rob Scheer, founder of the organization Comfort Cases. After experiencing firsthand the harsh realities of the foster care system where children often carry their belongings in trash bags, Rob turned his story into a movement focused on restoring dignity, comfort, and a sense of worth to kids in crisis. In this conversation, Rob shares the deeper challenges within foster care, including trauma, invisibility, and the long-term impact on children who...

IT’S OKAY TO SAY THE F WORD

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

From a felony to the CEO of a Global foundation, Michelle Cirocco knows firsthand that second chances work, because she lived it. After serving time in prison, Michelle rebuilt her life by taking a job at a call center, inside a local correctional facility. Today, she leads the Televerde Foundation, helping incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women gain workforce credentials, employment, and long-term success. With over 5,000 women served and a recidivism rate that is under 2%, Televerde’s model is transforming reentry outcomes and economic impact across states like Arizona and...

INTELLECTUAL ESPRESSO

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

Tore Price was serving time behind the wall, in Michigan, when he learned about the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program being taught by the University of Michigan. According to Tore, there were 1,000 incarcerated individuals who rushed to sign up for the weekly class with students from the University. With only 15 slots available lady luck was definitely on Tores side. When asking him to describe the Inside-Out Program, his words were short and sweet, intellectual espresso. For Tore, this was the launching pad that propelled him to not only continue to educate himself but also be an...

FROM LECTURE HALLS TO BEHIND THE WALL | LIFE, INSIDE OUT

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Will Challenge What You Thought You Knew

While prisons in the United States offer a variety of educational pursuits, it only took a brief conversation between a college educator and an incarcerated individual for the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program to be born. Four decades later, the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is still going strong, thanks to Founder, Lori Pompa. Lori’s vision to bring her students, from Temple University to interface with incarcerated individuals, in a unique classroom setting, behind the wall, was not only a leap of faith but ahead of its time. In Lori’s own words, “It is a...

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