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Episode resources: If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory

This flood of roughly 1,300 people who’ve come forward all started with one man. How the widespread abuse at YDC finally came to light and how people are grappling with what justice and accountability even mean in a scandal so large. Click here to read the companion digital story made in collaboration with The Pudding. If you have suffered abuse and need someone to talk to, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. If you’re in a mental health crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8. To support investigative journalism like The Youth Development Center at NHPR, click here.

Karen Lemoine didn’t arrive at YDC looking to start trouble. But the red flags she saw were hard to ignore, especially when it came to one kid in particular. What trying to do the right thing cost both of them – and why, 30 years later, they’re speaking up again. Click here to read the companion digital story, see archival photos and internal documents, and explore an interactive timeline of the alleged abuse, made in collaboration with The Pudding. If you have suffered abuse and need someone to talk to, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. If you’re in a mental health crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8. To support investigative journalism like The Youth Development Center at NHPR, click here.

For three decades, Andy Perkins didn’t talk about what happened to him at a place called YDC – the Youth Development Center. Then, he saw something on the news, and he realized he wasn’t the only person with a story about YDC. Andy gives us a rare glimpse into the black box of the juvenile justice system. Click here to read the companion digital story made in collaboration with The Pudding. If you have suffered abuse and need someone to talk to, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. If you’re in a mental health crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8. To support investigative journalism like The Youth Development Center at NHPR, click here.

New Hampshire has sent its most troubled kids to the same juvenile detention center for more than a century. It's a place that was supposed to nurture them, that instead hurt them – in some of the worst ways imaginable. A place that for decades was a black box that people are finally seeing into, and what they’re finding is absolutely shocking. How did this happen? How did it finally come to light?

The true crime media spotlight shines on Jason Carroll. Then, a chance encounter leads to a surprising discovery that changes the course of his case. For more on the case and to see selected data on exonerations, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

How could someone possibly confess to murder if they didn’t do it? A modern understanding of confessions sheds new light on Jason Carroll’s case. For more on the case and to see selected data on exonerations, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

Jason Carroll stands trial twice – and the juries come up with their own versions of what happened. For more on the case, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

A new true crime story is told and when juries hear it, it leads to different results for all three defendants. During the first trial, the lead detective makes a big mistake. For more on the case and to see a table of confession discrepancies, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

One set of confessions leads to another and three men are arrested for Sharon Johnson’s murder. Then, an alleged secret comes to light that changes everything. For more on the case and to see a timeline of the interrogations, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

Police interrogate a second teenager named Jason Carroll – with help from Jason’s own mother. For more on the case, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

We begin with the story police told about Sharon Johnson’s murder. The veteran detective on the case develops a theory involving her husband and a teenager. A surprising admission leads to a new break in the case. For more on the case and to see a timeline of Sharon's last day, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

Sharon Johnson’s family and friends have spent the last 35 years coping with her brutal murder. But what if that story was based on a lie? The man imprisoned for her murder maintains his innocence. For more on the case, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

Since Lauren began reporting, Eric Spofford sold his New Hampshire company for millions of dollars and filed a defamation lawsuit in response to NHPR’s coverage. We catch you up on everything that’s happened. And we introduce you to a sober living community where addressing women’s sexual trauma is a priority. Listen to the whole series now by clicking here.

A conversation with one of the women whose story of sexual assault you heard earlier in this podcast. She talks with Lauren about what it was like to hear her story published, the legal threats she has faced from Eric Spofford and his lawyers, and why she decided to speak out in the first place. Resources and more at 13thsteppodcast.org

What does it take to catch a predator in the addiction treatment industry? We hear about a case in California where the CEO of a network of treatment facilities was convicted of sexual assault and massive insurance fraud. It required years of work – and two women who banded together and refused to give up. Listen to the whole series now by clicking here.

How did 13th stepping become so common in the recovery world and who can hold people accountable? Lauren looks into the history of the addiction treatment industry; goes in search of the people, government agencies, and industry groups that are supposed to oversee it; and does a deep dive into its most pervasive cultural force: AA and the 12 steps. She finds a lot of good intentions, alongside a lot of problems. Listen to the whole series now by clicking here. To support investigative journalism like The 13th Step at NHPR, click here.

In March of 2022, Lauren publishes her first story detailing allegations against Eric Spofford. The events of the next several months illustrate the ways powerful, wealthy people can intimidate sources and try to stop journalism from happening. And then, there was the vandalism… Listen to the whole series now by clicking here.

As Eric Spofford tells it, he spent his teen years in the throes of addiction and crime. When he got sober, he became a crusader for recovery. We hear how he built his company – and his power. And we hear allegations that he abused that power by sexually assaulting members of his own staff. Listen to the whole series now by clicking here. Nearly all the music in this podcast was written by Jason Moon. At the top of this episode, we used an excerpt of a track by “grapes” featuring J. Lang and Morusque. It’s called “I dunno.” To support investigative journalism like The 13th Step at NHPR, click here.

What is “the 13th step,” and why does it matter? It all starts with understanding what it’s like to be in the earliest days of recovery. We meet two women who say they were harassed during early recovery. And we meet the man who allegedly harassed them – the founder of New Hampshire’s largest addiction treatment network. Listen to the whole series now by clicking here.