Criminal

Vox Media Podcast Network

Summary

Criminal is not your typical true crime podcast. Rather than focusing on sensational headlines or graphic violence, host Phoebe Judge explores the human side of crime with a curiosity and empathy that sets this show apart from the rest of the genre. Each episode acts as a deep dive into the unexpected, the peculiar, and the often-overlooked stories that sit at the intersection of law, history, and human behavior. Whether the subject is the cold, scientific reality of a body farm, the troubling pseudo-science behind 911 call analysis, or the myth-busting investigation into legendary lawmen, Criminal consistently challenges listeners to look beyond the surface. The show moves between the macabre and the mundane, effortlessly balancing heavy, investigative journalism with lighter, off-the-cuff conversations about the strange habits and complex emotions that define us. What makes the podcast stand out is its commitment to storytelling that asks big questions: What happens when private citizens take the law into their own hands? How does fiction shape our perception of real-world forensics? What does the way we die say about the way we lived? With a thoughtful, narrative-driven style and an inquisitive spirit, Criminal invites you to think critically about justice, morality, and the fascinating, messy reality of the world we share. It is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the human experience through a lens that is as haunting as it is enlightening.

Updated Jun 30, 2026

Episodes

What Nobody Tells You About the Morgue (with Patricia Cornwell)

Jun 30, 202627 min

Crime novelist Patricia Cornwell details her transformative years working in the morgue and the reality of the dead.

All the Time in the World

Jun 26, 202630 min

Go behind the scenes at a forensic research facility where donated bodies help investigators solve death mysteries.

The Caller

Jun 19, 202642 min

Law enforcement and prosecutors increasingly rely on controversial linguistic analysis of 911 calls to identify killers.

Riverwalk

Jun 12, 202648 min

A teenager with a taste for luxury fell to his death after entangling himself with two men from London’s underworld.

A Man to Be Afraid Of

Jun 5, 202644 min

The legendary sheriff Buford Pusser built a heroic image on violence, but evidence suggests he murdered his wife.

Breaking Up is Hard to Do (Criminal+)

May 29, 202645 min

Navigating the delicate social dilemma of breaking up with a long-term therapist while tackling new video projects.

Mantrap

May 22, 202638 min

Property owners who use deadly booby traps to protect vacant buildings face severe legal and moral consequences.

The Big Lie

Feb 13, 202647 min

Captain's Orders (Criminal+)

Feb 12, 202641 min

The Test

Feb 6, 202641 min

An American Original

Jan 30, 202633 min

Amok

Jan 23, 202637 min

Gone

Jan 16, 202646 min

Like a Bad Dream

Jan 9, 202635 min

Sister Helen

Dec 26, 202543 min

The Speeding Duck, the Hungry Javelina, and “Leonardo da Pinchy”

Dec 19, 202535 min

The Knock

Dec 12, 202529 min

Fall River

Dec 5, 202544 min

The Manual

Nov 28, 202529 min

The Post Office

Nov 21, 202541 min

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