Reporting and commentary on civil liberties and the criminal justice system. Plus other stuff.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Only free issues | Publishes | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 144 | Founded | 5 years ago | Last Issue | 4 days ago |
| Active | |||||
Read this Newsletter
radleybalko.substack.comLatest Issues
Breaking: DA demands DNA from Chris Duncan and Haley Oliveaux’s mother
Allison Statham and Chris Duncan, at the premiere of a documentary about his case. Photo courtesy of Elaine Whiteside.
Yesterday afternoon I received a frantic phone call from Allison Statham. She said a detective and patrol officer...
The framing of Chris Duncan: Part Two
Michael West as depicted in a screenshot from The Innocence Files on Netflix.
Note: This is the second installment in a three-part series on the wrongful conviction of Jimmie “Chris” Duncan. You can read Part One here. Some of this story a...
The framing of Chris Duncan
Chris Duncan in December 2025. Photo by Radley Balko
Note: This is the first of a three-part series on the wrongful conviction of Jimmie “Chris” Duncan. Some of this story appeared in The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist, the book I co...
Roundup: Chris Duncan, reader response to suing Stephen Miller, our ongoing immigration nightmare
Greetings, readers. It’s been a bit since my last post. I’ve been fighting off a bug, but also trying to finish up some bigger projects, including my forthcoming book and new editions of both Rise of the Warrior Cop and The Cadaver King and...
Suing Stephen Miller
(Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
Last week I had an op-ed in the New York Times arguing that if the Democrats retake Congress, they should pass legislation that would (a) create a cause of action to sue federal law enforcement officers f...
Key Facts
Audience Metrics
Subscribers, engagement, traffic and sponsorship for The Watch.
| Subscribers | Engagement | 84 | Monthly Web Visits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts Sponsors | Estimated Cost per Ad | ||||
SEO Reach
Where The Watch ranks on Google, and how much search traffic it brings in.
| Ranked Keywords | 675 | Monthly Search Traffic | Top Keywords |
|---|
Chart Rankings
How this newsletter ranks in the official Substack charts.
| #109 | |
| #49 |
Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Investigative journalist. Proprietor of The Watch newsletter. Ex-Washington Post. Author of Rise of the Warrior Cop, co-author of The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist
Social
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I access the email archive for The Watch?
You can find recent issues that have been published by The Watch on Reletter by scrolling up to where it says Latest Issues. Tap on the link for any of the most recent emails or hit More Issues to see older ones.
How many subscribers does The Watch have?
To see how many people subscribe to The Watch, simply upgrade your Reletter account. We provide readership numbers and lots of other stats for this newsletter so you can decide if it's worth reaching out to.
How can I advertise in The Watch?
Newsletter advertising can be extremely effective when it's done right. Before you pitch The Watch as a potential sponsor or partner, make sure that you've done your research and checked its newsletter stats with Reletter.
Then, personalize one of our winning pitching templates and send it to the right person using the contact info provided.
How much does it cost to sponsor a publication like The Watch?
Newsletter ad rates (or CPM) vary depending on many factors, including industry, number of subscribers, open rate, ad placement and more.
To find out how much an ad will cost, contact The Watch using the contact information provided and ask for a copy of their media kit.
How can I find newsletters related to The Watch?
Scroll up to where it says Related Newsletters to see other publications like The Watch. You can also search our email newsletter directory to discover other newsletters that cover the topics you're interested in.
How do I contact The Watch?
Reletter provides this newsletter's website URL above, where you will often find their contact information. We also provide links to associated social media accounts and pitching templates so you can reach out fast.