Two Criminologists cover a new female-focused case each episode. You’ll hear the stories of these women, paired with the science that tells you where it all went wrong. We’ll explore the causes of female crime, victimology, the legal system, as well as celebrate heroines who have left their mark on the criminal justice system.
Dr Meghan Sacks and Dr Amy Shlosberg are both Professors of Criminology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Both have years of first-hand experience working with offenders and professionals in the criminal justice system. They teach classes covering topics such as: Women & Crime, Race & Crime, Criminology, and Serial Killers.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 05/07/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Ep 359: Women & Crime: Reconsidered is where we revisit our episode catalog and bring new insights, behind the scenes or updates.
Brand new episodes are STILL every Tuesday!
Original Airdate: 02/08/22 - This woman, like any loving mother would do anything to protect her kids from this unpredictable world turned into a highly overprotective mother who took the law into her own hands when her own son was molested by a Christian summer camp worker who had a previous history of child molestation. Many supported and heralded Ellie Nesler as a hero but that was before a sensational trial that would reveal a side of Ellie Nesler the public had not seen before and this side would raise serious doubt about Ellie's actions.
Sources for Today's Episode:
Los Angeles Times
Recordnet.com
Law.justia.com- People v. Nesler (1997)
South Florida Sun Sentinel
CBS News
The New York Times
Oprah.com
Shouse California Law Group
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced & Edited by James Varga
Music by Dessert Media
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Melissa Herstrum
Season 7 · Episode 358
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 • Duration 37:16
Melissa Herstrum: A Campus Killing Revisited
This week on Women & Crime, we’re sharing a case from our sister podcast, Campus Killings, while we take a short holiday break.
In January 1992, 19-year-old Melissa Herstrum was a nursing student at the University of Toledo with her whole life ahead of her. But when her body was discovered in a campus parking lot, the investigation quickly revealed something deeply unsettling,
In this episode, we revisit Melissa’s story and the shocking betrayal at the center of her murder. We look at campus safety, institutional trust, power, authority, and what happens when the person wearing the badge becomes the threat.
Sources note: Core case details verified against contemporary reporting and later parole coverage, including reports that Melissa Herstrum was a 19-year-old University of Toledo nursing student killed in 1992 by University of Toledo police officer Jeffrey Hodge.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reconsidered: Shafia Family
Season 37 · Episode 357
Friday, June 26, 2026 • Duration 51:45
Ep 357: Women & Crime: Reconsidered is where we revisit our episode catalog and bring new insights, behind the scenes or updates.
Brand new episodes are STILL every Tuesday!
Original Airdate: 01/25/22
On June 30, 2009, a black Nissan Sentra was found submerged in the Rideau Canal in Ontario Canada. The car contained the bodies of three young girls and one older woman.
It would seem on the outset like a tragic accident but a deeper look would reveal that these women were targeted by someone they knew in an act of betrayal that would shock the entire country
Sources for Today's Episode:
An article in Maclean’s
An episode of Forbidden: Dying for love
An article from the Toronto Star
Stacy Mallicoat’s book, “Women and Crime”
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced by James Varga
Music by Dessert Media
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Laura Owens (part 2)
Season 7 · Episode 356
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 • Duration 45:21
Ep 356: She said she got pregnant by the bachelor but what followed blindsided everyone.
This is part 2 of the Laura Owens story.
Sources for Today's Episode:
San Francisco Chronicle
Justiceforclayton.com
Love Trapped podcast
Bankruptcy Court “Stipulated Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice”
Victims of Lauraowens.com
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced by James Varga
Audio Editor, Jose Alfonzo
Script Editor, Abagail Belcastro
Music by Dessert Media
Get Even More Women&Crime Episodes:
Patreon - Ad-free shows starting at $2 a month, or upgrade for $5 a month to get a new extra episode every month, as well as exclusive virtual HappyHours with Meg & Amy. Check-out other tiers for perks such as lectures, true crime book club, and more! Visit our Patreon page for more info: https://www.patreon.com/womenandcrime/
Apple Subscriptions - Exclusive episodes and ad-free regular stories are now available through Apple's podcast app for only $4.99 a month, or save with an annual membership.
YouTube Memberships - Exclusive episode available on YouTube for only $4.99 a month. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenandCrime/membership/
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reconsidered: Meredith Kercher
Season 7 · Episode 355
Friday, June 19, 2026 • Duration 01:09:37
Ep 355: Women & Crime: Reconsidered is where we revisit our episode catalog and bring new insights, behind the scenes or updates.
Brand new episodes are STILL every Tuesday!
Original Airdate: 01/11/22
While studying in Italy, this vibrant 20-year-old English foreign exchange student was the victim of a horrific crime. What followed was an international media circus that led to several arrests. However, the official narrative would put another women in the forefront, creating new victims and overshadowing the actual victim in this case.
Sources for Today's Episode:
The Guardian
BBC NewsNight
New York Times
Amanda Knox Netflix Doc
European Journal of Women's Studies
Waiting to Be Heard- her book
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced & Edited by James Varga
Music by Dessert Media
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Laura Owens
Season 7 · Episode 357
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 • Duration 43:43
Ep 354: She said she got pregnant by the bachelor but what followed blindsided everyone.
This is the Laura Owens story.
Sources for Today's Episode:
San Francisco Chronicle
Justiceforclayton.com
Love Trapped podcast
Bankruptcy Court “Stipulated Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice”
Victims of Lauraowens.com
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced by James Varga
Audio Editor, Jose Alfonzo
Script Editor, Abagail Belcastro
Music by Dessert Media
Get Even More Women&Crime Episodes:
Patreon - Ad-free shows starting at $2 a month, or upgrade for $5 a month to get a new extra episode every month, as well as exclusive virtual HappyHours with Meg & Amy. Check-out other tiers for perks such as lectures, true crime book club, and more! Visit our Patreon page for more info: https://www.patreon.com/womenandcrime/
Apple Subscriptions - Exclusive episodes and ad-free regular stories are now available through Apple's podcast app for only $4.99 a month, or save with an annual membership.
YouTube Memberships - Exclusive episode available on YouTube for only $4.99 a month. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenandCrime/membership/
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reconsidered: Danielle Imbo
Season 7 · Episode 353
Friday, June 12, 2026 • Duration 49:34
Ep 353: Women & Crime: Reconsidered is where we revisit our episode catalog and bring new insights, behind the scenes or updates.
Brand new episodes are STILL every Tuesday!
Original Airdate: 12/14/21
A young woman goes out one night to meet her boyfriend at a bar where they reportedly had a fun evening but she never returns home again
The boyfriend would usually be the first suspect but the police discover that he was also missing with no sign of either one of them after they had left the bar that evening. Did this young couple simply take off somewhere, were they in an accident or was this something much more sinister?
Sources for Today's Episode:
An episode of Disappeared
Medium.com
An article from Philadelphia Magazine
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced & Edited by James Varga
Music by Dessert Media
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kristin Rossum
Season 7 · Episode 352
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 • Duration 42:21
Ep 352: A woman’s husband dies of the same substances she works with. Was she a murderer or was it a coincidence?
This is the Kristin Rossum story.
Sources for Today's Episode:
LA times
Fox 5 san diego
San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego Reader
CBS News
North County Times
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced by James Varga
Audio Editor, Jose Alfonzo
Script Editor, Abagail Belcastro
Music by Dessert Media
Get Even More Women&Crime Episodes:
Patreon - Ad-free shows starting at $2 a month, or upgrade for $5 a month to get a new extra episode every month, as well as exclusive virtual HappyHours with Meg & Amy. Check-out other tiers for perks such as lectures, true crime book club, and more! Visit our Patreon page for more info: https://www.patreon.com/womenandcrime/
Apple Subscriptions - Exclusive episodes and ad-free regular stories are now available through Apple's podcast app for only $4.99 a month, or save with an annual membership.
YouTube Memberships - Exclusive episode available on YouTube for only $4.99 a month. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenandCrime/membership/
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reconsidered: Recy Taylor
Season 7 · Episode 351
Friday, June 5, 2026 • Duration 47:24
Ep 351: Women & Crime: Reconsidered is where we revisit our episode catalog and bring new insights, behind the scenes or updates.
Brand new episodes are STILL every Tuesday!
Original Airdate: 11/30/21
In 1944 Abbeville Alabama, a young African American woman was abducted and assaulted by 7 white men on her way home from church. During a time when the world was against her, the woman bravely fought for her justice; and ultimately, it was this woman’s courage that would help spark a mass-movement for racial justice.
Sources for Today's Episode:
Apa.org (American Psychological Association)
Nmaahc.si.edu (National Museum of African American History and Culture)
The Washington Post
Womenshistory.org
Blackpast.org
Nbc.org
Nps.gov
History.com
Naacp.org
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced & Edited by James Varga
Music by Dessert Media
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gabrielle Vega
Season 7 · Episode 350
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 • Duration 44:51
Ep 350: A sexual assault on a study abroad program would lead one young woman to seek international justice for not just herself, but many victims.
Sources for Today's Episode:
Netflix documentary “The Predator of Seville”
Bestlaywers.com
People.com
Aol.com
NJ.com
Sponsors:
(using our promo codes, supports the show!)
Hungryroot - You’re going to love Hungryroot as much as we do. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/WAC, code WAC .
Shopify - Start your business today with the industry’s best business partner, Shopify, and start hearing ’CHA CHING’ !
Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at Shopify.com/crimewomen
Credits:
Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks
Produced by James Varga
Audio Editor, Jose Alfonzo
Script Editor, Abagail Belcastro
Music by Dessert Media
Get Even More Women&Crime Episodes:
Patreon - Ad-free shows starting at $2 a month, or upgrade for $5 a month to get a new extra episode every month, as well as exclusive virtual HappyHours with Meg & Amy. Check-out other tiers for perks such as lectures, true crime book club, and more! Visit our Patreon page for more info: https://www.patreon.com/womenandcrime/
Apple Subscriptions - Exclusive episodes and ad-free regular stories are now available through Apple's podcast app for only $4.99 a month, or save with an annual membership.
YouTube Memberships - Exclusive episode available on YouTube for only $4.99 a month. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenandCrime/membership/
Help is Available:
If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.
For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Related Shows Based on Content Similarities
Discover shows related to Women and Crime, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.