03/20/2026
How does social stigmatization of addictions and mental health impact sentencing outcomes for people in the criminal justice system? Are judges immune from personal biases and assumptions? Our guest in this episode is Colleen Berryessa, PhD, an Associate Professor at Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice. She talks to Sam DeFilippo,MS, LPC, NCC, CAADC, a therapist and Lead for Equilibria's Addiction Recovery Center of Excellence about her surprising research findings on these issues. They discuss how the stigma surrounding people with addictions and the related assumptions often made about them based on certain qualities can lead to significant legal, emotional, social, and financial consequences. Particular focus is on the impacts on sentencing outcomes, treatment, and recovery.
Learn more about Dr. Berryessa's work at:
https://www.colleenberryessa.com
Watch this week's episode here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3XBBQtPa73x9D2AyZOr3TZ?si=2IeFARW1TeSxvwrvZeFYmA
Youtube:https://youtu.be/lUNHYHub1UI