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The Criminal Justice Forum dares to examine how the criminal justice system really works. Our mission is:

• to assist the public to better understand the criminal justice system


• to help those involved in the system find resources they need


• to advocate crime prevention and reduce recidivism


• to encourage the more effective use of tax dollars and precious resources

The show was developed by the host, Frank Kopczynski. He has worked with those involved in the criminal justice system for the last 15 years as the owner of successful bail bond agencies in Pinellas and Pasco Counties in Florida and Grady County Georgia. Frank is a member of the Domestic Violence Task Force in Pinellas County and the chair of the Pinellas County Ex-offender Re-entry Coalition (PERC). He is also an active supporter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM).


Frank became troubled at the injustices he witnessed through his work. He watched people become involved in the criminal justice system and noticed how during their initial contact with law enforcement through sentencing the system worked against the ordinary citizen. Those new to the system, although well intentioned, were naïve to the workings of the system, their rights, and how to exercise them. Consequently they were more likely to suffer higher fines, forfeiture of money, property and possessions, be
incarcerated, and serve longer sentences.

Those with power, wealth, and good contacts seemed to fare much better than the poor, people of color, or immigrants. But surprisingly, those considered middle class also found themselves severely disadvantaged by their lack of knowledge of the criminal justice system.

Frank noticed other inequities as well. His twenty-year career in health care
administration told him those with mental illness and drug and alcohol addictions could be treated in a more humane and cost effective manner. He saw children being regarded and treated as monsters rather than cherished as our future. He watched political leaders position themselves as tough on crime by favoring excessively long sentences and the harshest treatments possible, even though these practices wasted tax dollars.

Frank knew of organizations working to remedy these problems and saw they got little attention from the media or politicians. They were being ignored because the poor, ill, middle class, and those that work for them are not considered political assets nor are they capable of contributing big dollars to re-elections campaigns.

So, Frank decided to give these people a voice. He has been producing the Criminal Justice Forum since the Spring of 2001, at his own expense, and reaches more people each week by telling the world stories and messages like yours.

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