About Anthony Payton

Award-Winning Journalist | Justice Reform Advocate | Media Consultant


The Intersection of Experience and Expertise

I didn't set out to become a voice in criminal justice media - I earned it through two decades of navigating the system from both sides.

As an award-winning journalist, I've covered New Hampshire's criminal justice landscape for outlets including ManchesterInkLink and the Granite State News Collaborative. My reporting examines the challenges of re-entry, second-chance employment, and the human cost of policy decisions that impact thousands of families.

But my credibility doesn't come solely from a press badge. I've lived the stories I report. I understand the parole system because I've sat across from parole boards. I write about employment barriers for formerly incarcerated people because I've faced them. I consult on authentic character portrayal because I know what Hollywood gets wrong, and why it matters.

This dual perspective, journalist and justice-impacted individual, makes me uniquely qualified to help authors, screenwriters, organizations, and media outlets tell these stories right.


What I Bring To Every Project:


Professional Background:


Who I Work With

My work serves four main audiences, each with distinct needs:

Authors & Publishers

Novelists writing about formerly incarcerated characters who need them to sound authentic, not stereotypical. Memoirists sharing justice-related experiences who want to ensure accuracy. Publishers seeking sensitivity readers who understand the difference between county jail and state prison, between parole and probation, between redemption narratives and real life.

Screenwriters & Producers

Writers developing TV shows or films with prison storylines who need someone to catch the details that would make viewers roll their eyes. Producers seeking authenticity consultants who can review scripts for procedural accuracy and character believability. Production teams who understand that getting the justice system wrong isn't just bad writing—it's reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

Nonprofit Organizations & Advocacy Groups

Re-entry programs needing strategic planning from someone who's navigated the system they serve. Advocacy groups seeking storytelling frameworks that move donors and funnel funding to effective programs. Workforce development initiatives targeting formerly incarcerated populations who need spokespeople with both lived experience and professional credibility. Organizations that understand the people they serve deserve better than well-meaning but uninformed "help."

Media Outlets & Journalists

Publications seeking expert commentary on criminal justice issues from someone who can bridge policy analysis and human impact. Podcasts looking for guests who can discuss re-entry, employment barriers, and justice reform with authority and nuance. News organizations covering breaking justice stories who need sources that understand the system from the inside. Media professionals who know that the best stories come from people who've lived them.




Beyond the Work

I'm a father, a New Hampshire resident, and someone who believes in the possibility of transformation, not as an abstract concept, but as a lived reality. I've seen what happens when people get real opportunities, not just second chances. I've witnessed how the right story, told at the right time, can shift someone's entire trajectory.

That's why I do this work. Not because I want to be the face of re-entry advocacy, but because I want to see a world where people like me don't have to be extraordinary to be treated as ordinary. Where employment applications don't automatically end in rejections. Where media representations reflect the complexity of real human beings.

Every consultation, every article, every speaking engagement is a step toward that world.


Let's Work Together

Whether you're an author who needs your protagonist's backstory to feel authentic, an organization developing a re-entry initiative, or a media outlet seeking expert analysis on criminal justice issues, I bring both professional credibility and personal insight your project deserves.

I'm available for:

Writing & Journalism

Consulting & Authenticity Services

Speaking & Media

Creative Collaboration

📧 Email me: anthonypayton111@gmail.com
 📅 Book a consultation: Schedule here
 🎧 Listen to Lock and Key Podcast: Apple  Spotify








View my TEDx Talk






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