I Was Disabled in Prison — This Is How They Treated Me | Joseph Murphy

Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Society & Culture

4.8 • 743 Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2026

⏱️ 88 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Joseph Murphy grew up in a good family in Wisconsin, but at just 17 years old he made a decision that changed everything — committing an armed gas station robbery that sent him into the criminal justice system. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Joseph opens up about living with mental health disabilities while navigating county jail, prison, and years on probation, where violations kept pulling him back in. Despite receiving a rare pardon from the governor, he later found himself facing new charges for check fraud and business fraud, leading to more time in both Iowa and Wisconsin jails and prisons. Joseph shares what it was like being stuck in the system for decades, the challenges of surviving incarceration with a disability, and how difficult it is to truly break free once you’re in. After finally getting out, he landed a job with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, only to be fired for discrimination related to his disability — a case he fought and ultimately settled. _____________________________________________ #PrisonStories #TrueCrime #JailLife #Probation #MentalHealth #ExInmate #CriminalJustice #realstories _____________________________________________ Connect with Joseph Murphy: Email: JoeJustice2026@gmail.com _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 From Robbery to Prison — His Story Begins 01:10 Growing Up & Family Background 02:00 Mental Health Struggles Early On 02:30 The Gas Station Robbery 03:43 Arrest, Charges & Juvenile Sentencing 05:55 Fighting for a Pardon & Lessons Learned 07:17 Second Chance… Then Another Arrest 09:45 Legal System Challenges & Court Battles 13:10 Probation vs Prison — What’s Worse? 15:32 Mental Illness Inside the System 17:19 Life in Prison — Reality & Conditions 20:00 Loss, Survival & Breaking Points 23:02 The Truth About Probation & Parole 25:00 Violations That Send People Back 29:29 Life After Probation — Marriage & Growth 33:31 Building a Business After Prison 36:45 New Charges & Legal Consequences 43:10 County Jail vs Prison — Key Differences 46:40 Playing the Legal System Like a Game 48:01 Release, Relocation & Starting Over 51:21 Becoming an Advocate in Mississippi 53:38 Helping Others After Prison 56:01 Learning From Setbacks & Moving Forward 01:00:20 Criminal Justice Reform Efforts 01:07:20 Working Inside the Corrections System 01:12:30 Workplace Discrimination & Legal Fight 01:18:35 ADA Rights & Systemic Issues 01:23:00 Finally Off Probation — Freedom 01:24:42 Calling for Criminal Justice Reform 01:27:19 Final Thoughts & Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	When I was 17, I made a childish and foolish act.
0:03.0	It was five minutes and it was over, facing 20 years in prison.
0:06.0	Did you find that the staff treated you with kindness because you had a disability?
0:10.0	It was totally the opposite.
0:12.0	So the deal was eight years probation, an additional eight months in the county jail.
0:17.0	Would you have rather had stayed in prison knowing what you know now instead of getting that probation?
0:23.6	My name is Joseph Murphy. Since age 17 years old to age 60, I have spent as a total of incarceration about nine years, incarcerated.
0:40.3	As a total.
0:43.3	On probation, I've spent 20 years.
0:48.3	Joseph Murphy entered the system at just 17 years old
0:51.3	and spent decades trapped in a cycle of jail, prison, and probation
0:55.5	while struggling with mental health disabilities.
0:58.6	In this episode, he shares how one decision changed his life, why he kept getting pulled
1:02.9	back in and what it really takes to break free.
1:10.1	I grew up in the state of Wisconsin.
1:11.6	What was that like growing up?
1:13.6	It was nice.
1:15.6	I came from a family of eight.
1:17.6	I have a twin sister.
1:18.6	My mom and dad were older in life when my twin sister and I was born.
1:23.6	But I had lived there for 40 years until I relocated to Iowa for about a year or so.
1:31.5	And then after that, after that, I moved to the state of Mississippi, and I've been there now for 10 years.
	...

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