Collateral Damage
Thu Feb 05 2026
From no-knock warrants and phony police informants to civil forfeiture and international narcotics interdiction, the US war on drugs has affected more than just traffickers. Its highly provocative methods have caused the deaths of innocent bystanders, often with no consequences for those responsible. Animated by decades of political cries stoking fear and anger, police departments have gained more power in their tactics, which look more like combat than law enforcement. And the deaths of people caught in the crossfire are now accepted as necessary sacrifices in the quest for a drug-free America.
In each episode of the podcast “Collateral Damage” from The Intercept, investigative reporter Radley Balko covers an unjust or avoidable death as a result of the government’s questionable enforcement policies and practices. The series distills the war on drugs down to the personal stories of bystanders who lost their lives or livelihood as collateral damage to the dangerous and quixotic goal of saving a nation from itself.
OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "COLLATERAL DAMAGE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.
For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.
Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.
This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
More
From no-knock warrants and phony police informants to civil forfeiture and international narcotics interdiction, the US war on drugs has affected more than just traffickers. Its highly provocative methods have caused the deaths of innocent bystanders, often with no consequences for those responsible. Animated by decades of political cries stoking fear and anger, police departments have gained more power in their tactics, which look more like combat than law enforcement. And the deaths of people caught in the crossfire are now accepted as necessary sacrifices in the quest for a drug-free America. In each episode of the podcast “Collateral Damage” from The Intercept, investigative reporter Radley Balko covers an unjust or avoidable death as a result of the government’s questionable enforcement policies and practices. The series distills the war on drugs down to the personal stories of bystanders who lost their lives or livelihood as collateral damage to the dangerous and quixotic goal of saving a nation from itself. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "COLLATERAL DAMAGE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.