In this powerful episode of Conviction Fiction, we sit down with Matthew Stephens—a man once labeled “incorrigible” by the U.S. government, who is now a Regional Detox Specialist and a fierce advocate for Restorative Justice.

After serving 18 years across five separate prison bids, including a 15-year federal sentence as an "armed career criminal," Matthew made a decision that changed everything: he refused to let the system write his ending.

Inside, he earned over 10 vocational certifications, a college-level education, and a new vision for his life. Now on the outside, he's helping others recover, rebuild, and rise above the same system that once tried to bury him.

In this episode, we explore:

• The emotional weight of being labeled “incorrigible”

• How prisons can either be crime factories or classrooms

• The importance of education and recovery in reentry

• What restorative justice really looks like in practice

• Why policy and perception must change for true justice

Whether you’re directly impacted or just ready to understand what real change takes, this conversation will challenge what you thought you knew about justice, redemption, and second chances.

**Don’t just listen—**be part of the movement.

In this emotionally charged episode of Conviction Fiction, we explore the heartbreaking reality that sometimes, even your growth won’t be enough for the people you love. What do you do when your apology is met with silence—or worse, judgment? When your success is seen as a threat instead of a triumph?

We unpack the fantasy of unconditional family support and the painful disconnect that can follow when your transformation challenges old narratives. Through real talk and deep reflection, this episode dives into:

• Why some family members may resist your growth

• The emotional labor of rebuilding while being torn down

• How judgment from loved ones can cut deeper than the system

• The power of boundaries in protecting your peace

• What to do if you might be the trigger in someone else’s story

If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, or unfairly misunderstood by those closest to you, this episode is for you. You’re not alone—and you don’t have to prove your worth to people committed to misunderstanding you.

🎧 Tune in now and let your healing journey be louder than their doubts.

What if everything you thought you knew about justice… was a lie?

Welcome to The Conviction Fiction, the podcast that exposes the untold stories of those silenced by the criminal legal system. In this powerful trailer, host Antoine Rivers introduces the mission: to challenge stigma, uncover truth, and amplify the voices of the formerly incarcerated, their families, and those fighting for real justice.

This isn’t about betrayal — it’s about accountability.
This isn’t just prison talk — it’s freedom work.

With raw interviews, emotional storytelling, and bold commentary, Conviction Fiction peels back the layers of the system to reveal what really happens after the sentence is handed down.

Subscribe now and join the movement to change the narrative — one voice at a time.

In this solo episode of Conviction Fiction, host Antoine Rivers shares his deeply personal journey of returning home from incarceration to find his credit wrecked—and not by his own doing. After discovering someone close to him used his name to open an $8,000 line of credit, Antoine had to make an impossible choice: pursue legal action against a loved one or carry the debt himself.

With raw honesty and practical insight, Antoine walks listeners through the emotional toll of navigating debt, especially while relying on government assistance and fighting for employment with a record. He also breaks down the real steps he took—like budgeting $20 a week and using secured credit tools—to slowly rebuild his credit and confidence.

Whether you're starting from scratch or trying to clean up someone else's mess, this episode is a powerful guide to reclaiming your financial future, one decision at a time.

Because your credit score doesn't define your worth—but rebuilding it can help remind you of it.

#RebuildingCredit #CreditAfterIncarceration #ConvictionFiction #StartingOverSeries #SecondChances #FromDebtToDignity #PrisonToPurpose #CreditRepairJourney #LifeAfterLockup #ReentrySupport

In this special episode of Conviction Fiction, host Antoine Rivers gets personal, sharing his own journey from incarceration to entrepreneurship. What started as an uncertain LLC eventually became RiverPro — a successful commercial cleaning business and budding media platform.

Antoine walks you through the exact steps he took to go from idea to execution, including how passion evolved into purpose, and how perception helped shape his brand. Whether you're still trying to find your direction or ready to take your next big step, this episode offers real talk, actionable insight, and inspiration from others who turned their lives around through business.

If you’ve ever felt like your past disqualifies you from building something real — this one’s for you.

🎧 Tune in now to get the blueprint for building your own lane after lockup.

#ConvictionFiction #FromCellToCEO #ReentrySuccess #Entrepreneurship #LifeAfterIncarceration #BonusEpisode

In this powerful episode of Conviction Fiction, host Antoine Rivers is joined by returning guest Eric McDaniel to unpack how society views incarceration—and how those perceptions impact real lives. Together, they confront the myths, media narratives, and cultural judgments that paint formerly incarcerated people as broken or dangerous, rather than human and evolving.

From the job hunt to housing, relationships to mental health, Antoine and Eric explore the second sentence that starts after prison: society’s stigma. But this isn’t just a critique—it’s a call to action. The episode closes with real, practical steps we can all take to change the conversation and support those reentering our communities.

Whether you’ve been impacted directly or you're just ready to learn the truth, this episode will challenge your perspective and inspire deeper empathy.

🎙️ Featuring topics like:

• The myth of moral failure

• Emotional and social consequences of stigma

• The power of narrative and lived experience

• How to be part of the solution

  
  

  #ConvictionFiction #JusticeReform #LifeAfterLockup #SecondChances #ReturningCitizens #EricMcDaniel #MassIncarceration #PrisonToPurpose #BreakingTheStigma #ReentryMatters #CriminalJusticeReform #WeAreMoreThanOurPast

  
  

  🙏 Shoutout to the incredible organizations and individuals who support this movement: @BeyondTheChains, @DreambuildersFoundation, @APRoseEntertainment, @TheQueenables, @MADIOCinc, @focus21foundation, @podmovement, @1moquestion, @teenzonpoint and every voice pushing for real justice.

  
  

In this powerful episode of Conviction Fiction, we sit down with activist, storyteller, and system-impacted leader Christopher Willars to confront the hard truths about incarceration in America. From the inside out, Christopher shares what prison really does to people, families, and communities — and how the penal system often fails to deliver justice or rehabilitation.

We explore questions like:

• What is the true purpose of the prison system?

• Who benefits from punishment over restoration?

• What does healing look like after incarceration?

This episode is a call to reflection, action, and real accountability. Whether you're new to justice reform or have lived it, this conversation will challenge what you thought you knew.

#ConvictionFiction #ChristopherWillars #ReturningCitizen #JusticeReform #LifeAfterPrison #PrisonReform #MassIncarceration #SystemImpactedVoices #CriminalJusticeReform #PodcastInterview #RealStoriesRealChange #TruthBehindBars #BreakTheCycle #PenalSystemExposed #RestorativeJustice

In this solo episode of Conviction Fiction, host Antoine Rivers dives into one of the most complex and controversial topics in communities impacted by incarceration: the “no-snitching” code.

From prison yards to neighborhood corners, silence has long been equated with loyalty—but at what cost? Antoine explores the historical roots of the anti-snitch culture, how it's enforced behind bars and on the streets, and the deep personal and social consequences of speaking up—or staying quiet.

This episode features dramatized voice perspectives from those inside and outside the system, shedding light on why people uphold the code, even when it works against their own freedom. Antoine is clear: he's not here for the “snitch movement”—he's here for truth, healing, and a system rooted in real justice.

🎙️ Topics include:

• The historical roots of the no-snitch code

• How silence is enforced and internalized

• The personal toll of staying quiet—or breaking it

• Can we create new codes rooted in truth, healing, and justice?

📢 No guest. Just truth.

🔗 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
🎤 Leave a comment, share your story, and help us change the narrative—together.

#ConvictionFiction #ThePriceOfSilence #PrisonReform #JusticeSystem #NoSnitching #StreetCode #MassIncarceration #TruthAndHealing #PodcastEpisode #Accountability #ChangeTheNarrative #YouTube