18 Best Juvenile Justice Podcasts to Listen to (2026)

Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Audio ReportingThe U.S is the only country in the world that allows minors to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Approximately 2,500 juveniles have been effectively sentenced to die in prison — considered 'irredeemable' by the state for crimes committed when they were just teenagers. One of them was David Luis 'Suave' Gonzalez, who entered prison at 17 expecting to leave in a coffin. Suave tells the story of what happens when your whole world is a prison cell, and you suddenly get a second chance at life. It's the story of one man's incarceration and redemption and an unusual relationship between a journalist and a source.Selected as an Apple Podcasts Series Essential. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. more

New Hampshire has sent its most troubled kids to the same juvenile detention center for more than a century. It's a place that was supposed to nurture them, that instead hurt them in some of the worst ways imaginable. It's now at the center of one of the biggest youth detention scandals in American history. How did this happen and how did it finally come to light? more

In this all-New York season, Ear Hustle embeds with two innovative programs aimed at kids and young people caught up in the criminal justice system.In the first five episodes of the season, we bring listeners into the Crossroads Youth Detention Facility in Brooklyn, where a program called Drama Club teaches improvisational theater techniques as a way to build connection and conflict-resolution skills. Nigel and Earlonne spent a year at Crossroads, following a cohort of Drama Club participants and graduates.For the final episode of the season, we take the train uptown to the Children's Museum of Manhattan. Twice a month, the museum closes its doors to the public, and opens them to a select group of parents and their children. Moms and dads, bussed over from Riker's Island in chains, are uncuffed upon arrival at the museum. Wearing regular, non-prison clothes, they're reunited with their kids for a rare, emotional, and often bittersweet visit outside prison walls.Join us this fall as Ear Hustle takes on its first project outside the world of adult incarceration, chronicling the lives of young people involved, one way or another, in New York's criminal justice system as they navigate growing up, dreaming big, and trying to stay out of the loop. more

In 1968, police arrested five Black girls dressed in oversized military fatigues in Montgomery. The girls were runaways, escaping from a state-run reform school called the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children in Mount Meigs, Alabama. The girls were determined to tell someone about the abuse they'd suffered there: physical and sexual violence, unlivable facilities, and grueling labor in the fields surrounding the school. It was, as several former students called it, a slave camp.Peabody-nominated UNREFORMED is the story of how this reform school derailed the lives of thousands of Black children in Alabama for decades and what happened after those five girls found someone willing to blow the whistle. Host Josie Duffy Rice investigates the history of the school at the tail end of the Civil Rights movement in Alabama and speaks to former students who are still haunted by their experience but had the will to survive. more

Mass incarceration starts young. These kids say the system changes them forever.

The Imprint Weekly Podcast offers listeners a regular review of news and trends in America's child welfare and juvenile justice systems, along with other critical services for youth and families. Join Imprint Senior Editor John Kelly for a discussion of the week's major headlines, plus interviews with leaders in the field. more

Smart Justice covers the pursuit of better outcomes on justice system issues, including incarceration, foster care, and juvenile justice. The podcast is produced by Restore Hope. Website: http://smartjustice.org Support: https://smartjustice.supercast.com  more

In this show we speak with people from all levels of WA's juvenile justice system from incarcerated youth to law makers to gain a deeper understanding of the work being done to make positive change. more

The National Resource Center's podcast, Youth Justice Transformation in Action, shares stories of change management, leadership, achieved outcomes and so much more. Episodes feature leaders, experts, and practitioners in the field who are successfully navigating youth justice transformation in their systems and discuss best practices from youth justice experts. Learn more at nrctyj.org/podcast. Website: nrctyj.org Contact Us: nrctyj.org/contact-us Online Resource Library: nrctyj.org/resources/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-resource-center-for-transformation-of-youth-justice more

Before They Could Dream is a seven-episode podcast series that explores the history, lived experiences, and lasting impact of youth incarceration in the United States. The Aspen Institute 's Forum for Community Solutions (AIFCS), in partnership with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) and Green Buzz Agency , set out to tell the story of youth incarceration in the United States from the perspective of six people who were given extreme sentences as children. The series explores each person's early childhood, the dreams they once imagined, their remorse for choices they made under often dire circumstances, and the consequences that have followed them into adulthood. Each story is grounded in factual, legal, and historical context provided by a group of experts across various fields. Together, they illuminate a system most Americans rarely see and the realities young people face when the law decides their futures before they can dream. Featured Podcast Guests Podcast Host: Abd'Allah Lateef, Deputy Director, CFSY Episode 2: Donnell Drinks, Leadership and Development Engagement Coordinator, CFSY Episode 3: Catherine Jones, Co-Director of Outreach and Partnership Development, CFSY Episode 4: Eddie Ellis, Co-Director of Outreach and Member Services, CFSY Episode 5: April Barber Scales, Founder, Fenced In: Fighting for Freedom Advocacy Episode 6: James Carpenter, Co-Executive Director, Neighbors for Justice DC Additional Experts Include: Eduardo Bocanegra, Interim Executive Director of the Noah's Arc Foundation and former Senior Advisor at the Office of the Attorney General for the Department of Justice of the United States Dr. Robert Kinscherff, Executive Director of the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior Marsha Levick, co-founder and former chief legal officer of the Juvenile Law Center ayoola mitchell, founder of the National Healing Collective, mom, and survivor Joshua Rovner, Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy organization working to advance effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice Yasmin Vafa, co-founder and Executive Director of Rights4Girls, an advocacy organization working for the dignity and rights of young women and girls so that every girl can be safe and live a life free of violence and exploitation Tune in on Tuesdays for the Latest Episodes from this Podcast Series, through 04/07/2026 Learn how you can support young people and organizations who are reimagining justice in the United States: Youth Justice Resources Themes may include physical, mental, and sexual abuse and suicide along with adult language. A partnered production of The Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions (AIFCS), The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY), Green Buzz Agency and our expert panelists. more

Welcome to The Table, where we discuss issues of youth justice in Michigan and occasionally nationwide. New episodes of The Table will be released on the first of the month. Each episode may be a bit different than the last, as we discuss current issues, reports, and maybe even host a guest here and there. The Table can be found wherever you listen. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe. If you'd like to donate to support our work, please go to miyouthjustice.org/donate. And again, welcome to The Table.Intro and Outro music is Wasted Education by Blue Topaz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. more

Kids Imprisoned is a 7-part series investigating juvenile justice in America. It's produced by Carnegie-Knight News21, a national multimedia reporting project produced by the nation's top journalism students and graduates. This year, 35 journalism students virtually reported through video conferencing, examining challenges and disparities America's youth face in the criminal justice system. more

To share compelling stories about system-impacted youth, their families, and their communities, so that listeners are inspired to take meaningful community action and support the advocacy work of the Delta Project. more

About Season 2 — Roadmap for Change: Trauma Recovery & Juvenile JusticeRoadmap for Change dives into the pressing need for transformation within the juvenile justice system—a system that often falls short in meeting the needs of youth. Many of us working in and around the field understand the power of trauma-informed care, but breaking old mindsets and creating true, system-wide change is no easy feat.Join us as we examine historical and cultural roadblocks that challenge reform efforts and celebrate stories of progress from communities and jurisdictions working to make a difference. Through the voices of youth and their families, we explore the changes they believe would truly support healing and growth. Experts share the latest insights on trauma-informed practices, along with actionable strategies and resources for bringing these ideas to life.Roadmap for Change is a production of the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice. Funding provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Child Traumatic Stress Network.About Season 1 — Roadmap to Resilience: Supporting Children Experiencing Stress & TraumaJoin experts in the field of child stress and trauma as they delve into research-based strategies for building resilience in children of all ages. Your hosts, Dr. Julian Ford and Dr. Amanda Zelechoski, along with guest experts explore how children and families successfully face and overcome adversity, and how helping professionals can support and empower this resilience. Together, they'll paint a holistic picture of what a roadmap to resilience can look like for children experiencing stress and trauma.Dr. Ford and Dr. Zelechoski bring decades of experience as psychologists and researchers to make these strategies available for all who care for children. Whether you're a mental health provider, parent, lawyer, social worker, or caregiver, you can use these tools to help the children you support step from difficulty into strength. more

A Breakfree Education podcast exploring the world of education within the juvenile justice system.

Welcome to A Second Chance: Stories of Young Offenders, the largest youth-led podcast dedicated to juvenile justice. Hear from former inmates who share their journeys of redemption and growth as we embrace their mindsets and experience. Through these candid interviews and awe-inspiring stories, we aim to spark hope in others striving for reintegration back into society and reduce the stigma that often surrounds juvenile delinquency. Listen now! more

It's an informative journey about juvenile justice through the many branches of the Ohio Department of Youth Services. The program will help explain the work done by the agency in youth habilitation to transform and save lives. more

Creative Conversations with CYCJ is a place for debating, discussing and questioning justice for children and young people. CYCJ is a boundary spanning organisation that uses it's unique position to advocate for a rights-respecting approach to youth justice both in Scotland, and further afield. CYCJ produce robust internationally ground-breaking work; bringing together research evidence, children and young people's contributions and system know-how we operate as a thought leader within the fields of youth justice and children's rights. Find out more at: www.cycj.org.uk more