The Gist

CRIME WEEK: Shoplifting And Murder, In That Order

Mar 21, 2024

Exploring the nuances of shoplifting statistics with Adam Gelb, President of Council on Criminal Justice. Delving into the role of prisons and parole with Ben Austen and Johnny Veal. Discussing challenges in criminal justice and re-entry after incarceration.

47:09

Episode guests

Adam Gelb

Ben Austen

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Shoplifting statistics may not accurately reflect the true extent of the crime due to underreporting and varying enforcement approaches among retailers.

The parole system struggles to balance assessing readiness for release based on past crimes with recognizing personal growth and development during incarceration, impacting rehabilitation efforts.

Deep dives

Shoplifting Trends During the Pandemic

Shoplifting incidents reported a significant drop during the early pandemic stages due to store closures, rebounding more recently. The pandemic altered crime factors like motive, means, and opportunity, affecting the crime landscape. The statistics on shoplifting often do not reflect the true extent due to underreporting and varying enforcement approaches among different retailers.

Introduction

5min

Exploring VPNs, Luxury Cars, and the Rise of Shoplifting in America

2min

Impact of Pandemic on Shoplifting Incidents in America

12min

Debunking the Shoplifting Panic Narrative

8min

Exploring Criminal Justice Work and Personal Stories of Murder Victims

2min

Challenges and Reflections on Parole Hearings

17min

Challenges of Re-Entry After Incarceration and the Importance of Support

2min

If you believe the news, shoplifting is many things: “on the rise,” “a scourge,” and “way up.” The thing is … is it really? In truth, it’s very hard to know, because the variables are myriad. We discuss this conundrum with Adam Gelb, President and CEO of Council on Criminal Justice, a non-partisan think tank, and a pretty darn knowledgeable person on the topic. Then we pivot to tackle the role prison and parole play in our criminal justice system. We talk with Ben Austen, author of Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change. Ben is joined by Johnny “Khalif” Veal, who was convicted of murder in 1970 and paroled in 2021, a man who says prison changed him in all types of ways.

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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