Crime and the Courtroom

By John M. Collins

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Episodes: 100

Description

Crime and the Courtroom is a unique and stimulating examination of the American criminal justice system for the authorities and supporting professionals who make criminal justice possible. We turn an observant eye toward the system's evolving capacity to strike the delicate balance between preserving the quality of life of our citizens and protecting the rights of the accused. Hosted by one of the most respected and influential forensic experts in the United States, John M. Collins and his guests share real-world experiences and insights about the evidence, techniques, and decision-making used in the investigation, adjudication, and prevention of crime. In each episode, we look for opportunities to dive deep into the lessons of current and past cases to ensure that our organizational, legal, and public priorities are smart and well-intentioned. In this effort, we challenge our public safety leaders and experts to think creatively and proactively about how crime can be prevented before it happens. Every victim is one victim too many. Subscribe to Crime and the Courtroom for inside, cutting-edge analysis of news, stories, insights, and strategies related to our ongoing public struggle to achieve safety and security in every home, neighborhood, community, and place of work. About John M. Collins John M. Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

Episode Date
#118: Collins' Speech at the IAI 2026 Conference in St. Louis
Sep 21, 2026
#117: "The Warning Memo" on Forensic Science in the Era of Strategic Litigation
Aug 17, 2026
#116: Developing Technical Leaders, with the ISHI Forensic Leadership Alliance
Aug 03, 2026
#115: Thirty Years Later: Lessons from the Atlanta Olympic Bombing
Jul 19, 2026
#114: Prioritizing Mental Wellness with David Epstein and Reuben Ramirez
Jul 06, 2026
#113: Lab Administrators, Don't Sell Out Your Forensic Pattern Examiners
Jun 01, 2026
#112: Iris Eytan on Prosecutor Power and Accountability
May 18, 2026
#111: Lawyers, Scientists, and Questions of Validity
May 04, 2026
#110: Three Common Leadership Habits That Will Destroy Your Credibility
Apr 20, 2026
#109: The Daubert Contagion, Valid Comparisons, and the 'Junk Science' Narrative
Apr 06, 2026
#108: DNA Roundtable with the Forensic Leadership Alliance (FLA)
Mar 17, 2026
#107: The Drop in Violent Crime and the Crimes that are Replacing It
Mar 02, 2026
#106: High-Profile, High Pressure: The Nancy Guthrie Investigation
Feb 16, 2026
#105: Vegas Concierge: Sex Trafficking, Hip Hop, and Corruption in America - with Brian Joseph
Feb 02, 2026
#104: What is "Junk Science" and do Bite Marks Fit the Label?
Jan 19, 2026
#103: Are we standardizing the soul out of forensic science?
Nov 17, 2025
#102: An Accident in the Forensic Lab and Lessons Learned
Oct 28, 2025
#101: Command Coaching at the Point of Promotion
Oct 21, 2025
#100: "Wing Violence" and the Murder of Charlie Kirk
Sep 15, 2025
#99: How Much Control Should Judges Have Over the Testimony of Expert Witnesses?
Sep 02, 2025
#98: The ISHI Forensic Leadership Alliance: Looking Ahead to the 2025 Symposium
Aug 19, 2025
#97: Police Culture, Federal Funds, and Forensic Science Laboratories
Aug 04, 2025
#96: Cyber Hell? A Conversation with Tom Arnold
Jul 21, 2025
#95: The Wrongful Conviction of Forensic Science and the Attack on Firearm Identification
Jul 07, 2025
#94: Firearm Testimony Blocked by Oregon Appellate Court - A Call to Action
Jun 25, 2025
#93: The Highly Impressive Expert Witness - Training Priorities and Strategies
Jun 16, 2025
#92: Evaluating Expertise in an Era of Compromised Integrity - A Coaching Session
Jun 02, 2025
#91: Psychopaths and Copycats - A Conversation with Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott
May 19, 2025
#90: A Conversation with Jeff Asher on Crime Data, Trends, and Reporting Challenges
May 05, 2025
#89: Dr. Nancy La Vigne - A Conversation with the Dean of Rutgers' School of Criminal Justice
Apr 21, 2025
#88: Preventing Catastrophic Misconduct in Accredited Forensic Science Laboratories (Part 2 of 2)
Apr 07, 2025
#87: When Catastrophic Misconduct Happens in a Forensic Science Laboratory (Part 1 of 2)
Mar 17, 2025
#86: Caitlin Burchill, Investigative Reporter with NBC Connecticut
Mar 03, 2025
85# Sarah Chu on Forensic Evidence and Post-Conviction Advocacy
Feb 17, 2025
#84: Forensics - A Different Kind of Science, and Here's Why
Feb 03, 2025
#83: Remembering a Forensic Science Pioneer - John Murdock
Jan 28, 2025
#82: One Officer, One Bullet, and Two Critical Lessons on Police Culture
Jan 20, 2025
#81: One thing kids must learn to keep themselves safe (Update)
Dec 23, 2024
#80: Forensic Evidence in the Luigi Mangione Investigation
Dec 17, 2024
#79: Announcing Major Change to Podcast Name and Format
Dec 16, 2024
#78: CoachCast Update and Tip on Thinking Strategically
Dec 02, 2024
#77: It's Strategy Season! | Conflicts of Interest in Outside Employment
Nov 18, 2024
#76: Historic DNA Analysis Breakthrough | When Technical Units Don't Play Nice
Nov 04, 2024
#75: Emotional Pain and its Threat to Quality
Oct 21, 2024
#74: Interview Sabotage by Restrictive HR Policies
Oct 07, 2024
#73: CoachCast Update - Live from AFQAM 2024
Sep 30, 2024
#72: National Association of Forensic Science Boards | Kermit Channel and Jennifer Naugle
Sep 16, 2024
#71: Prevent Team Insanity when Leadership Changes
Sep 04, 2024
#70: The People You Must Not Hire
Aug 19, 2024
#69: True Integrity and the Challenge of Ethics
Aug 05, 2024
#68: Groom and Hire Local Talent to Maximize Retention
Jul 15, 2024
#67: Fill Your Leadership Positions without Delay!
Jul 01, 2024
#66: From Laboratory Leader to Chief of Staff - A Conversation with Jody Wolf
Jun 17, 2024
#65: Getting Your Confidence Back
Jun 03, 2024
#64: Workplace Relationships, Problems, and Solutions
May 20, 2024
#63: Be Strong and Still: A Conversation About Faith with Kevin Smith
May 06, 2024
#62: Extroversion and Introversion - Debunking the Myths
Apr 15, 2024
#61: History, Philosophy, Standards, and the Police - A Conversation with Max Houck
Apr 01, 2024
#60: Crisis Response and the Trust Fantasy
Mar 18, 2024
#59: Employee Motivation and the Origins of Enthusiasm
Mar 04, 2024
#58: Engaging Difficult People and Personalities
Feb 19, 2024
#57: Timothy Kupferschmid, NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Feb 05, 2024
#56: Mark Stolorow on Standards, Progress, and Technology
Jan 15, 2024
Update: January 8, 2024
Jan 08, 2024
Update: January 3, 2024
Jan 03, 2024
#55: Ann MacPhetridge of Promega on Commercialization and Marketing in Forensic Science
Nov 20, 2023
#54: The Wisconsin Case Submission Advisory Committee
Nov 06, 2023
#53: Beyond Bias - Understanding Mental Modeling with Indi Young
Oct 16, 2023
#52: Peter Stout on the Houston Forensic Science Center
Oct 04, 2023
#51: Junk Science or Junk Activism? A Question for the Courts.
Sep 18, 2023
#50: Trouble in Houston; Tips on Interviewing for Expert Witness Potential
Sep 05, 2023
#49: The State of Forensic Science Education with Dr. Pamela Marshall
Aug 21, 2023
#48: A Conversation with Kermit Channell
Aug 07, 2023
#47: Dr. Henry Lee on Trial - Part 1
Jul 24, 2023
#46: How to Build a Natural Style for Leading and Influencing
Jul 17, 2023
#45: The Science of Randomness
Jul 03, 2023
#44: When Judges are Bullies in the Courtroom
Jun 26, 2023
#43: Firearm ID on Trial in Illinois? Nope.
Jun 12, 2023
#42: Embedded Legal Counsel in Forensic Labs (w/Amy Curtis Jenkins)
May 15, 2023
#41: Forensic Evidence in Overturned Convictions w/ Dr. John Morgan
May 01, 2023
#40: Supplanting Grant Funds - Don't Do It!
Apr 24, 2023
#39: The Conditions for Expert Witness Excellence
Apr 10, 2023
#38: Visible Tattoos and Piercings in Court
Mar 29, 2023
#37: The Truth About Implicit Bias
Mar 06, 2023
#36: You Can Be More Than a Forensic Lab
Feb 27, 2023
#35: Matthew Gamette on the New Validation Collaborative
Feb 13, 2023
#34: Artificial Intelligence in the Courtroom - Are you ready?
Jan 17, 2023
#33: Special Holiday Message
Dec 14, 2022
#32: Leave No Disciplines Behind
Nov 28, 2022
#31: Don't Fear the Innocence Project
Nov 14, 2022
#30: Are We Developing Expert Witnesses the Right Way?
Nov 01, 2022
#29: Using Coaches and Consultants
Sep 26, 2022
#28: The New Superior
Aug 08, 2022
#27: Career Phases
Jul 25, 2022
#26: Chronic Bitterness
Jul 11, 2022
#25: Are Scientists Socially Awkward?
Jun 27, 2022
#24: The Illusion of Independence
Jun 13, 2022
#23: Culture is a Verb
May 23, 2022
#22: There's No Junk Science
May 16, 2022
#21: Live from ASCLD
May 02, 2022