The Kids of Rutherford County

Meribah Knight

From Serial Productions and The New York Times in partnership with ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio, “The Kids of Rutherford County” is reported and hosted by Meribah Knight, a Peabody-award winning reporter based in the South. Read more

Society & Culture True crime

Episodes

Episode 2: What the Hell Are You People Doing?

10/26/2023 00:34:27Episode 1: The Egregious Video

10/26/2023 00:28:17 Trailer

10/19/2023 00:02:31

Our take on The Kids of Rutherford County podcast

The Kids of Rutherford County is a chilling four-part podcast that explores a decade-long practice of illegally jailing children in Tennessee. Hosted by Peabody winner Meribah Knight, the series analyzes a faulty system where the term 'unruly' was subjectively used to hold kids for days, sometimes just for not stopping a fight. The podcast points fingers at the adults in power. The case: Lynn Dukecrafted the illegal 'filter system' that went unchecked for years. A 2017 federal lawsuit finally led to change, but the psychological and social damage is lasting. Research indicates jailed kids are more likely to face future legal issues and mental struggles. The Kids of Rutherford County questions the ethics of juvenile justice and shakes your faith in the systems meant to protect us. The Kids of Rutherford County is a true crime podcast by Serial Productions & The New York Times.