The Z Files

This episode includes a scholarly, graphic discussion of serial killers. Content Advisory: Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Physical Assault, Cannibalism, Murder

Biology Theories, Routine Activities Theory, Life Course Theories, or Reintegrative Shaming, which explains crime the best?? Tune in and let us know what you think! 

Cults, homicide, serial killing, property crime, and more? Can one theory explain why all these actions occur? Listen to our discussion of Travis Hirshi's Social Bond Theory and foster your own perspective. Join us as we apply this theory to a variety of topics. **Warning: Discussion includes brief mentions of sexual assault and descriptions of victim-blaming rhetoric.

Strain Theory explains criminal behavior as an illegal response to stress from society. The theorist Robert Merton originally designed the theory to describe crimes with financial motives, but as you will hear in our discussion, we believe it is applicable to many other forms of crime including torture and homicide. 

Ready to learn about why criminal behavior happens? Tune in to our live classroom discussion about Labeling Theory! This is your chance at a crash course in crime theory without the tuition costs or the homework! 

The title really says it all, tune in to hear what we can do to end mass shootings. 

TRIGGERING CONTENT: Episode content includes graphic detail about rape and child sexual abuse. Viewer discretion advised.  Why does our criminal justice system largely ignore sexual assault and how can we change this? In this episode I welcome you to become part of the solution for decreasing sexual assault in America. 

President John Kennedy's assassination has spurred conspiracy theories for half a century. Tune in to this episode to listen to the connections between his death and the mafia. Is it a conspiracy or not?  Send me some feedback at the podcasts instagram page the_z_files_podcast or at thezfilespodcast@gmail.com! This episode is composed in admiration for the sheer strength of Jacquelyn Kennedy as she witnessed the murder of her husband and so diligently handled his funeral arrangements in the midst of her family's tragedy.   The best respect we can pay to the family is revealing the truth. Episode Sources: Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires by Selwyn Raab. themobmuseum.orgMusic from Law and Order SVU used under the fair use laws and for educational purposes. 

This episode is an exciting listening experience that uses sociology to map out criminal actions.  Systematic oppression carefully crafted by the government effects all of our daily lives. Tune in to find out more about the governments contribution to America's death toll and decide for yourself if Uncle Sam is guilty as charged. Link to Red lining maps: https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=5/39.1/-94.58Sources: Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America , by Candace Taylor The Death Gap, by David Ansellhttps://www.healthyfoodaccess.org/access-101-research-your-communityhttps://www.rwjf.org/en/library/interactives/whereyouliveaffectshowlongyoulive.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-visualization/life-expectancy/https://societyhealth.vcu.edu/media/society-health/pdf/CSH-ChicagoMethods.phttps://fortunly.com/statistics/welfare-statistics/#gref

Which car company knowing released a death causing car model? What four things do mass murderers have in common? Find the answers to these questions and more in this second part of the homicide series!contact thezfilespodcast@gmail.com for questionsFollow us on instagram at: the_z_files_podcastSources: https://projects.voanews.com/mass-shootings/

How many serial killers have a medical illness that drives them to kill? How many innocent  people are sent to death row each year? Answers to these questions and more await you in this episode that is all about homicide.  Check out the instagram page the_z_files_podcast for weekly crime fact drops! email questions to: thezfilespodcast@gmail.comChild abuse info sheet: https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/whatiscan.pdfSources:https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/in-the-news/women-serve-longer-prison-sentences-after-killing-abusershttps://everytownresearch.org/report/guns-and-violence-against-women-americas-uniquely-lethal-intimate-partner-violence-problem/Friedman, Susan H. , Sarah McCue Horwitz, and Phillip J. Resnick.  2005. “Child Murder by Mothers: A Critical Analysis of the Current State of Knowledge and a Research Agenda.” Am J Psychiatry; 162:1578-1587FBI.govhttps://projects.voanews.com/mass-shootings/https://documents.deathpenaltyinfo.org/pdf/FactSheet.pdf

There's no place like home, so how do we keep it safe? Tune in to hear tips about how to deter burglars from your house and get the scoop on other property related crimes. Subscribe and leave a review if you have the chance! This episode is dedicated to my family members who experienced multiple burglaries. I hope to prevent other people from having the same experience. instagram: the_z_files_podcastDirect questions to: thezfilespodcast@gmail.comSources: -Cromwell, Paul, James N. Olson, and D'Aunn W. Avary. 2003. "Decision Strategies of Residential Burglars." Pp80-86 in In Their Own Words: Criminals on Crime. 3rd ed. Ed. by Paul Cromwell. CA:Roxbury-FBI.gov-Home Alone clip used under Fair Use 17 U.S. Code § 107

Can we use math to determine who is most likely to make you a homicide victim? How has criminal behavior changed in the past 70 years? How long does a robber take before deciding to rob someone? Take a quick listen and let me answer these questions in this short, 20 minute episode. I deliver no less than two facts about crime and incarceration per minute that you can take to the bank or your next family gathering to make life interesting. Episode Sources: Vera Institute of Justice https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ucr/publicationshttps://www.fairfightinitiative.org/the-history-causes-and-facts-on-mass-incarceration/Lecture notes from Dr. Saundra Westervelt

The U.S. leads the world in rates of drug addiction and overdose deaths. If it was a War on Drugs, why didn't we win? After 50 years of the same policies maybe its time for a change. Much of the information about the history of drug use and the detrimental drug policies come from the books Dopesick by Beth Macy  and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. Audio snippet with the quote from John Ehrlichman taken from 13th. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, resources are available! https://nida.nih.gov/

Did you know Hitler and the Nazi party revered President Franklin D. Roosevelt  for the racist laws he introduced?  Have you ever learned about how America's Jim Crow and other discriminatory legislation inspired the 400+ Nuremberg laws that regulated the private and public lives of Jewish people? Were you aware the U.S. State Department denied a vis request from Otto Frank and his family shortly before they were executed in Nazi death camps?  I boldly suggest  America's standard curriculum that teaches World War II is incomplete without this information. Take a listen and complete your understanding of America's participation in World War II! This episode is dedicated to Charlene Schiff. In honor of her bravery, and out of responsibility to her request, I ask that we all take the time to learn about these events so that we will not allow history to repeat itself. I have included her voice in part of this episode. Her voice recording came from a project created by the U.S Holocaust Memorial Museum. Episode Information Sources:-https://www.ushmm.org-Hitler's American Model: The United States and The Making of The Making of Nazi Race Law by James Whitman-Framing the Moron: The Social Construction of Feeble-Mindedness in the American Eugenic Era by Gerald O'Brien

Mr. Anderson (pseudonym) discusses his experiences after 10 years of being a corrections officer. If this career path interests you, you can find job postings at this website or search your local area: https://www.governmentjobs.com/jobs?keyword=corrections+officer&location=