Teens Behind Bars

When a teenager is sentenced as an adult, the punishment doesn’t stop at the prison gate — it ripples through families, friendships, and futures. Host Joel Wilborn explores what happens when youth meet adult justice: the mental toll, the safety risks, and the cycle of recidivism that follows. This episode asks hard questions: Are there better alternatives? Which states lead in rehabilitation? And should parents share accountability, as in the Richard Ferguson case? Tune in for a grounded, compassionate look at how we treat young offenders — and what real rehabilitation could look like.