We sit down with retired California CO Jimmy Johnston, who activated New Folsom, survived riots, mixed yards, and a preventable stabbing, and lays out how leadership, training, and ego shape what happens when the door pops. The talk blends hist...

We follow Goldie from a San Bernardino childhood to a disciplined career that starts in juvenile hall, grinds through a tough sheriff’s academy, and faces violence and addiction inside county jails. The throughline is simple: respect people, ma...

Imagine swearing an oath to serve, only to discover that the rules you enforce don’t fully protect you. We sit down with attorney Mila Aretunian to unpack the hidden tradeoffs of a badge: administrative interviews where silence means terminatio...

The story starts with a red light, a door cracked open, and a desperate roll onto Wilshire Boulevard. From there, Scott takes us inside a bullet-torn Mercedes, a judge who called it an attempted murder on him, and a first step into LA County’s ...

We follow Ross from a Wisconsin childhood to street hustles, an Air Force enlistment, relapse, a near-fatal overdose, and a rebuild through surgeries and recovery. Raw details on brain chemistry, Narcan saves, shame, loyalty, and the daily work...

We trace a Muslim infantryman’s path from the Iraq surge and a life at a Baghdad outpost to a long run in New Jersey law enforcement, a brutal mental health spiral, and a mission to fix how first responders get help. Combat detail, identity str...

We trace Paul’s path from childhood violence and years in group homes to the moment fatherhood unlocked buried memories, and how that pain turned into a mission serving veterans, cops, and correctional officers. Practical tools, honest talk abo...

Two Marines cross paths and change a life. Gilbert traces a path from cadet drills and satellite comms in Helmand to a rural deputy’s hostage rescue, the grief that followed, and the choice to heal and help first responders get resilient.

We trace a Sacramento kid’s path from petty theft to a 50-to-life sentence at fourteen, through High Desert’s politics and violence, to an education-driven transformation that ended in resentencing and freedom. The conversation pulls apart real...

We trace Jason’s path from teenage addiction and county jail codes to California prisons, a violent turning point in Kern County, and the climb back through sobriety, faith, and service on a mountain rescue team into a new career in engineering...

A former Valley gang member rebuilds his life, gets sober, and ends up fighting cartels in Zacatecas for $600 a month, only to discover that law, discipline, and compassion matter as much as courage. We trace the hard turns—attempted murder cha...

We trade safe answers for hard truths as Geo unpacks busted knees, a broken marriage, and a career at the federal pen that turned into music, memes, and a movement. Respect, deterrence, and the gray area come into focus with practical ways to s...

Jimmy, a former inmate who spent 17 years in California prisons, shares his journey from troubled youth to prison survival and eventual transformation after release in 2017.• Deep family roots in Texas, including an uncle who died at th...

Kelly Coelho, a private investigator who's been exposing California Governor Gavin Newsom's corruption, shares her journey from bounty hunter to whistleblower. Her investigations have uncovered a vast network of financial kickbacks involving se...

What happens when trauma meets institutions? Dr. Ashley, a forensic psychologist with a master's in forensic psychology and doctorate in clinical psychology, takes us on a profound journey through the psychological realities of prison life and ...

Former lifer Brian James shares his remarkable journey of transitioning from 29 years in prison to three years of freedom, discussing the psychological challenges, family tragedies, and unexpected paths to healing he's encountered since release...

Manny, a former Fresno PD officer and undercover narcotics detective, shares his remarkable journey from Mexican immigrant working in agricultural fields to infiltrating drug cartels and conducting high-stakes operations in the dangerous world ...

Former Army veteran Ernie Mariscal shares his powerful journey from troubled youth to military service and his struggle with PTSD after combat deployment.• Growing up in Brawley, California and dropping out of school at 16 to live on th...

Kenny's journey from a 36-year-old fiberglass factory worker to a respected Lieutenant in the California Department of Corrections reveals the dangerous reality behind prison walls and the moral challenges facing those who work there.Wa...

Alex shares his remarkable 24-year career with the US Border Patrol, including his experiences with dangerous bandits, cartel operations, and cross-border cooperation with Mexican authorities. His journey from a young recruit to internal affair...

Rupert Francis shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Jamaica as the son of a politician to finding his way in America through gang life, incarceration, and ultimately finding purpose through fatherhood and personal growth.• B...

Valerie, a former correctional officer from Central California Women's Facility (CCWF), shares her journey from personal tragedy to a career in corrections and reveals the shocking deterioration of safety and security in the women's prison syst...

Angel Cortez shares his incredible journey from growing up in Southern California as the first American-born in his Mexican immigrant family to becoming an Army Ranger and eventually founding a tactical training company.• Being raised i...

Former correctional deputy Kelly shares her journey from San Jose to San Luis Obispo County jail, revealing the challenges and realities of working in corrections during significant policy changes. Her candid account provides insight into the d...