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Trail Blazing Justice
Discussing civil rights and the criminal system in Oregon (and beyond!).
Episodes
76 episodes
Heatwave Behind Bars, part 2
In last week’s episode, we exposed the unbearable conditions caused by extreme heat in Oregon prisons. This week, we follow up with the voices of those who’ve lived through it—directly responding to the Department of Corrections’ claims about h...
Heatwave Behind Bars
What happens when a heatwave hits—and there’s no way to cool down? In this episode of Trail Blazing Justice, we confront the deadly consequences of extreme heat inside Oregon’s prisons. From windowless cells and failing ventilation to ...
Coming Home Isn't Always Easy
What does successful reentry really take—and why do so few get the chance? In this episode, Mark Wilson reflects on his first six months of freedom after nearly 40 years in prison and exposes the broken systems waiting on the outside. From inac...
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Waxing Confidential: Unmarked, Unchecked, Unconstitutional
What happens when federal law enforcement stops following the rules it’s meant to uphold? In this edition of our Waxing Confidential series, Steve Wax breaks down ICE’s expanding power—from masked raids to secret det...
Waxing Confidential: Birthright Citizenship on Trial...Sort of
What does it mean to be born in America—and can a president take that away? In this episode of Waxing Confidential, Steve Wax unpacks the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. CASA, a case that may gut the power of federal courts...
Governor Kotek's GIPA Advisory Panel: Performative Process without Substance
What happens when a prison reform panel becomes a performative stall tactic? In this episode, we break down why the Oregon Justice Resource Center made the difficult decision to step away from Governor Kotek’s advisory panel on women’s prison r...
Waxing Confidential: Trump's Use of the Military Advances his Authoritarian Agenda
Bobbin and Steve Wax unpack Trump’s federalization of the National Guard and the deployment of the Marines to LA, exposing the legal overreach, historical echoes, and chilling consequences of this show of force.
Waxing Confidential: A Civil Rights Tour
Steve's journey through the South! This week on Trail Blazing Justice, we catch up with Steve Wax on the road, as part of our Waxing Confidential series. Steve shares his recent tour through the South, reflecting on powerful ...
The Surveillance Creep
What happens when drone surveillance and DNA collection laws quietly expand under the radar? In this episode of Trailblazing Justice, we break down two alarming bills in the Oregon legislature—one that loosens restrictions on warrantless drone ...
Solitary Confinement in Oregon, Part 3 of 5: Challenging Solitary
Is it possible to meaningfully challenge solitary? In this episode, Bobbin, Mark, Julia, and Zach peel back the layers of Oregon’s opaque grievance processes, Supreme Court rulings, and procedural roadblocks that leave those incarcerated w...
Know Your Rights/Risks
What should you do if you are engaged by law enforcement when you are on the street? In this episode of Trail Blazing Justice, co-director of the Oregon Innocence Project Kenneth Kreuscher explains the rules for safely asserting your rights and...
Waxing Confidential: Habeas Corpus is for Lovers
What if your right to challenge an unjust imprisonment was the last line of defense against authoritarian rule? In this episode, we trace the ancient roots and modern battles over habeas corpus—from medieval England to Guantanamo Bay, to presen...
Solitary Confinement in Oregon, Part 2 of 5
In this episode, we continue our special series on Solitary Confinement by turning our focus to Oregon’s only women’s prison—Coffee Creek—and the often-overlooked realities of solitary confinement behind its walls. Kyle Black shares firsthand a...
State Power vs. Free Press: Journalism in the Age of Trump
Can the press still hold power accountable, or has the media itself become a battleground?In this episode of Trail Blazing Justice, we explore the evolving role of journalism in the age of Trump. Alice Lundell, OJRC’s Directo...
Waxing Confidential, Part 2: "Then they came for me... "
We dive into the tension between democracy and executive overreach. Steve and Bobbin unpack the significance of a recent landmark court order pushing back against Trump’s assault on law firms, they draw unsettling parallels between what we are ...
Waxing Confidential: Attack on the Rule of Law
What happens when the law is weaponized to dismantle itself?We’re joined this week by Steve Wax—former federal public defender and now Senior Counsel at the Oregon Justice Resource Center—to explore how legal norms and institutions are b...
"The Cruelty is the Point"
This week on Trailblazing Justice, we pull back the curtain on America’s immigration system — and it’s not what most people think. Our special guest, Erin McKee, from the Immigrant Rights Project, joins us to unpack how Oregon’s sanctu...
Solitary Confinement in Oregon: Part 1 of 5
Trail Blazing Justice is doing a deep dive into the use of solitary confinement in Oregon prisons by producing a series on this important issue. TBJ welcomes guest Mark Wilson, who spent over three decades incarcerated, and has perso...
TBJ is back again! An introduction to OJRC's work in the 2025 Oregon Legislative Session.
Trail Blazing Justice is back once again! After a year-plus hiatus, OJRC is resuming the weekly Trail Blazing Justice podcast. In this episode, Bobbin discusses the ongoing Oregon 2025 legislative session with Zach, Julia, and The Kyles. They f...
2023: Year In Review
Was 2023 a year of progress or setback for Oregon’s justice system? Join us as Bobbin, Julia, Zach, and Justin reflect on the year that was, and forecast the road ahead in 2024.
Outside Voices: The Holidays Inside Prison
What is it like to spend the holidays in prison? Join us for the first episode of “Outside Voices”—our special series of discussions with people who have experienced incarceration in Oregon. Bobbin is joined by Angela, Wayne, and two Kyles, as ...
Oregon Legislative Days and the War on Drugs
What are Legislative Days, and why are they important? Join us this week as Bobbin, Zach, and Justin demystify these lesser-known legislative meetings and recap some of last week’s justice-related hearings.Links
Do People in Oregon Jails Get Equal Access to Abortion?
Bobbin, Zach, and Justin welcome Brittney Plesser, co-director of OJRC’s FA:IR Law Project, to discuss her recent report on access to abortion care for those incarcerated in Oregon jails. Join us for an eye-opening look at how the right to an a...
“Like doing death penalty cases in traffic court”: Crimmigration in Oregon
Marijuana is legal in Oregon, right? Well, not for everyone. For this and other eye-opening insights, join Bobbin, Zach, and Justin as they welcome guest Erin McKee, co-founder of the Oregon Justice Resource Center and co-director of OJRC’s Imm...
A Serious Response to the “Sobering” Realities of Oregon Prisons
This week, Bobbin, Julia, Zach and Justin discuss OJRC’s recently published response to the Gender Informed Practices Assessment (GIPA) of Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. Julia outlines key points of the GIPA report, their implications, and...