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Announcing The Appeal Podcast

Our debut episodes feature Josie Duffy Rice on prosecutors and Melissa Gira Grant on criminalizing sex work.


The Appeal is a new podcast about criminal justice reform, prison abolition, and everything in between. Each week we will feature in-depth interviews with those covering, working in, and most affected by the American criminal justice system. From lawyers to activists to reporters to the formerly incarcerated, The Appeal podcast will shine a light on—and help radically rethink—the largest prison state in the world.

The Appeal is available on iTunes, Soundcloud and LibSyn RSS. You can also check us out on Twitter, and Facebook.

Episode 1: District Attorneys Are The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of. With guest Josie Duffy Rice

District attorneys wield enormous power but have been historically overlooked in efforts to reform the legal system. Recently that has changed, with the rise of a bail reform movement and new primary election challenges upending the “tough on crime” status quo. Our guest Josie Duffy Rice, the host of our sister podcast “Justice in America,” will be joining us to explain why DAs are such an important—and often unseen—fulcrum of power.

Episode 2: The Misplaced Sanctimony of Criminalizing Sex Work. With guest Melissa Gira Grant

Stopping the trafficking of exploited persons is something everyone agrees is important. But recent efforts by the federal government—including the passing of Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA)—exploit the good-faith desire to protect the vulnerable by criminalizing consensual sex work. These efforts have driven the business further underground, exposing sex workers to greater harm. Our guest, Melissa Gira Grant, senior reporter for The Appeal, explains.