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Motive

Chicago gang violence: Real people. Real stories. A way forward.

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Chicago gangs: Real people. Real stories. A way forward. The new season of Motive explores violence on the streets of Chicago and the former gang members working to stop it. 

Want an all-access pass to Motive? Check out our Motive Newsletter so we can let you know when the latest episode drops and share more behind-the-scenes stories, additional content and updates on events. We’ll also alert you of ongoing investigations and topics covered by WBEZ’s criminal justice team. Sign up now.

Recent

Season 5

  • Episode 1: After The Gunfire

    Former gang members are out on Chicago’s streets trying to slow the relentless violence. A man shot 11 times hides with his kids at home.

    Listen — 37:36

  • Episode 2: De/Escalation

    A teenaged boy is threatened by a rival gang inside a Chicago grocery store and finds himself holding a gun to his best friend’s chest.

    Listen — 35:16

  • Episode 4: Getting In and Getting Out

    When a 7-year-old is murdered, her father faces judgment for gang ties that put her at risk. His gang turns on him when he helps police.

    Listen — 32:41

  • Episode 5: Collateral Damage

    A 14-year-old boy whose father was wounded in a gang shooting faces down threats of violence and the temptations of joining a gang.

    Listen — 37:57

  • Episode 6: Aftermath

    Anti-violence worker Cecilia Mannion confronts her desire for revenge after the car her kids are riding in is shot up 20 times.

    Listen — 40:12

Season 4

  • Episode 1: The Blind Spot

    Men in an Illinois prison said they were beaten in a spot with no security cameras. But no one took action, until someone died.

    Listen — 40:30

  • Episode 2: Us and Them

    Two Black women took mental health jobs at one of Illinois’ toughest prisons. What happened when they reported what they saw behind the wall.

    Listen — 41:54

  • Episode 3: The Major and Her Crew

    State investigators interrogate a high-ranking prison guard, who is accused of coordinating attacks on prisoners.

    Listen — 46:26

  • Episode 4: No Justice in Politics

    A man goes into prison with a 7 year sentence. But ends up getting 97 more years. How does that happen? And what do small town politics have to do with it?

    Listen — 45:30

  • Episode 5: The Trial

    Two Illinois prison guards were tried for beating Larry Earvin to death. We try to make sense of the trial and what it says about prisons.

    Listen — 37:05

  • Episode 6: The Prison Sweepstakes

    In the 1980s Illinois leaders held a competition, where rural towns competed to “win” prisons and the jobs that come with them.

    Listen — 42:48

  • Bonus Episode: Prisoncast

    A chance to hear parts of a special broadcast we created for people in Illinois prisons and their families.

    Listen — 29:48

Season 3

  • Preview The New Season Of WBEZ’s Motive

    To understand today’s white supremacist movement, look at the last time hate pulled in young Americans. Preview WBEZ’s new season of Motive.

    Listen — 1:30

  • Episode 1: The Hate Crate

    In the 1980s, it seemed organized white supremacy was declining. But a generation of racist skinheads breathed new life into the movement.

    Listen — 35:23

  • Episode 2: Romantic Violence

    It was the ‘80s. Reagan was president. And for angry teens, the punk scene provided a family and expression. Until the Nazis showed up.

    Listen — 34:37

  • Episode 3: Union And Division

    The Chicago Area Skinheads were among the first racist skinhead crews to organize in the U.S. How one brutal event brought them down.

    Listen — 36:23

  • Episode 4: Boots To Suits

    Daytime TV discovered neo-Nazi skinheads, and it was a ratings bonanza. But it also helped to grow the hate movement across America.

    Listen — 39:50

  • Episode 5: What To Do With Christian

    Christian Picciolini grew a violent hate movement for eight years. After he left, it continued to grow. What’s his role in fixing the harm?

    Listen — 35:29

  • Episode 6: The New Nazis

    When Brendan Sweeney marched with white supremacists in Charlottesville, he thought he was part of something new. And then he was doxed.

    Listen — 43:28

  • Episode 7: Tipping Point

    Atomwaffen was the most extreme white supremacist group, pushing for societal collapse. Today, their ideas are on the streets.

    Listen — 37:59

  • Episode 8: Bloodlines

    Clark Martell led neo-Nazi skinheads. Then, he disappeared. His trail reveals how sex, money and blood have kept the movement alive.

    Listen — 36:02

Season 2

  • Episode 1: Lauren Bajorek

    A student dies on her 21st birthday in Spain. Years later, questions arise after a TV segment airs about someone she was with that night.

    Listen — 34:16

  • Episode 2: Gabrielle Vega

    Gabrielle Vega alleges her tour guide raped her in 2013. Years later, she learns she’s not the only one. So she does something about it.

    Listen — 32:33

  • Episode 3: Blackout

    A look at the double-standard often applied in cases of sexual assault.

    Listen — 28:31

  • Episode 5: Did Anyone Know?

    While studying abroad in Spain, two students reported to police and their school they had been sexually assaulted. It didn’t go as expected.

    Listen — 35:21

  • Motive Season 2 Q&A

    Support Motive and join the producers for a virtual Q&A about the second season of the podcast.

    Listen — 2:09

  • Episode 6: The Investigation

    A prosecutor opened a criminal investigation almost two years ago. We go to Spain to see what’s happening.

    Listen — 35:09

  • Episode 7: La Manada, The Wolfpack

    How “The Wolfpack” verdict in 2016 ignited mass protests in Spain, kicking off the country’s #MeToo movement.

    Listen — 33:08

  • Episode 8: The ‘After’

    In the final episode, the Motive team looks at everything after an assault, including the emotional toll and the decision to pursue justice.

    Listen — 28:30

Season 1

  • Episode 1: A Shooting From A Mercedes

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 32:24

  • Episode 2: Violated Into The PeeWees

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 29:13

  • Episode 3: A Boy Enters And A Man Leaves

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 28:52

  • Episode 5: The Fairytale Ending

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 27:35

  • Episode 6: Mousey Is Dead

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 27:31

  • Episode 7: Inmate K51114

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 24:16

  • Episode 9: Batman On The West Side

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 33:19

  • Episode 10: Mother’s Day

    Motive is a true crime podcast hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, with original reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Listen — 31:20