Stories Behind the Walls
Stories Behind the Walls is a hard-hitting podcast that dares to ask: Is our justice system really delivering justice at all? Each episode peels back the layers of corruption, hypocrisy, and abuse lurking behind the polished façade of courts, police stations, and prison walls.
From raw, unfiltered prison talk to firsthand accounts of systemic failure, we give voice to those silenced by the system and hold accountable those who profit from its flaws. If you're ready to question what you've been told about law and order, join us as we expose the truth behind the walls.
Stories Behind the Walls
Update and Thank You
Welcome back to Stories Behind the Walls. I'm your host Annabel. For those who don't know this podcast, it's actually a break off project of our nonprofit organization. Voices for Justice. Voices for Justice was started back in 2008 after my cousin was murdered in Clearwater, Florida, and the justice system failed our family completely. We didn't get answers, we didn't get accountability. We just simply didn't get justice. That moment changed everything for us. For over 15 years now, we've been fighting not just for ourselves, but for other families who've been ignored, silent, or failed by the system. We demand justice. We demand accountability because no one is above the law. That's what this podcast is about. This is our way to keep shining a light on what happens behind the walls, and to make sure that no one's story gets buried. Now let's talk about the reason for tonight's episode. If you listen to our last episode, you know I shared about a formal complaint we filed on behalf of an inmate at the Howard R Young Correctional Facility in Delaware. This wasn't some minor issue. This was about basic human rights, about safety and dignity that every single person deserves, regardless of why they are incarcerated. When this individual reached out to us, I knew immediately we couldn't ignore it. That's what Stories behind the Wall exists for. That's what Voices for Justice exist for. We step in when others won't. So let's talk about the process. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. And anyone to respond was an uphill battle. It took six days of constant pushing. I sent email after email, we called office after office. We reached out to multiple contacts. It honestly felt like screaming into a voice. It wasn't until all the way up to the governor's office when things finally started getting moving, and that right there is the problem. It should not take having to go to the governor's office to get a response from any type of justice system because most people don't have the time, energy, or resources to keep pushing that hard. The system counts on that. They make it as difficult as possible, so people will give up, but that's not who we are. Our voices for justice giving up is not an option. We fight. It takes longer than it should, even when they make us jump through hoops because these stories matter because people matter. But here's the part I'm proud to share tonight. All that pushing paid off. We finally started getting responses from the Delaware Department of Correction. They acknowledged our complaint. They told us they were reviewing it seriously, and they followed up with us multiple times. But most importantly, the real measure of success for us was hearing back from the inmate himself. They confirmed to us that the situation was addressed. That's why we do this. That's why Voices for Justice exists. That's why Story Behind the Wall is here. It's not about headlines or credit. It's about making sure even one person gets heard and help when they're being ignored. Now, look, if you know me, you know I'm not shy about calling out the system when it fails. That's the entire reason for this podcast. But I also believe in fairness and accountability goes both ways. Folks, if you're gonna hold people's feet to the fire when they ignore complaints. I'm also going to give them credit when they do the right thing. So I wanna take a moment to say thank you to the Delaware Department of Correction and to all the staff involved in addressing this complaint. I want to sincerely thank you for reviewing and acting on an informal complaint. We submitted on behalf of an incarcerated individual at the Howard R Young Correctional Facility, while it took persistence and escalation to get the first response. Once you were engaged, you treated the matter with seriousness. It deserved your team follow up, and actions didn't go unnoticed. Most importantly, the inmate confirmed that the issue was resolved As stories behind the walls and through our work with Voices for Justice, our mission is to hold the system accountable and ensure those inside have a voice. Thank you for listening this. And we're showing that change can happen when people speak up and officials respond with integrity. I hope this is a sign of continued commitment to transparency and accountability. That is my message for them, because credit matters just as much as criticism. If we really wanna see change. I wanna pause and really talk about why this matters. This might seem like a small thing to some people, but to that inmate. It wasn't small at all. It was the difference between feeling powerless and knowing someone was fighting for them. It was proof that even in a system designed to ignore you, you can be heard if someone refuses to shut up about it. And that's exactly what Voices For Justice has been doing for over 15 years. We don't give up. We don't back down. We started this fight because of our own family was denied justice, but we kept going because we knew we were not the only ones. There are too many families who have been failed, too many people inside prison walls who have no one to listen to them, that who we do this for. So before I close tonight, I want to talk directly to you. If you or someone you know is inside and going through something like this, if you're hitting walls trying to get help, do not give up. This is again, why stories behind the wall exists. This is why Voices for Justice exists If you need someone to help you, if you need someone to help you file a formal complaint on your behalf, reach out to us. If you don't know where to turn, if you're feeling lost, if you just need someone to listen, send us an email and we will do everything we can to help you because you deserve to be heard. No one, no one is above the law, and as long as I have this mic, as long as Voices for Justice is here, we'll keep holding them accountable and making sure these stories get told. Again, I'm Annabel. Thank you for listening to us. Stay loud, stay real, and if you need us, we're here. You can find us on Spotify at Stories Behind the Wall. You can also find us on Instagram, and we are here on TikTok. Reach out and we'll be more than happy to help you. Thank you and have a great night.
