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.