Justice Voices

What makes violent people violent? The short answer is violentization. Dangerous violent people almost invariably choose to become violent to survive physically and emotionally in what they perceive as a dog-eat-dog world, a perception rooted in the chronic trauma of being the victim of repeated acts of violence, usually beginning in their homes and neighborhoods […]

Unless we understand the psychological impact of chronic abuse on victims, we can fail them. Even worse, we can misjudge them, including misjudging them in court. That’s why this part 2 of Donna Lomelino’s story is so important and instructive. 

This episode of Justice Voices will be emotionally intense.  Facing realities involved in criminal justice policy sometimes is, including facing the  reality of what a lifetime of abuse and exploitation can do to people. Some prisons are physical, made of concrete and steel. Other prisons are psychological.

In this update to Episode 1, host David Risley, a former career federal prosecutor, has a conversation  with one of his former defendants, Lynard Joiner, founder and CEO of Shifting Into New Gear (SING).

“Going to prison saved my life.” That is what guest, Lynard Joiner, said during this conversation with host, David Risley. It is also the subtitle of an autobiographical book written by Lynard Joiner, titled, LJ’s Cocoon .

That is the first of three doses of criminal justice reality described in this introductory episode by Justice Voices founder and host, David Risley, former career federal prosecutor and former Director of Public Safety Policy in the Illinois Governor's office. Reality dose #2: Prisons do only one thing well -- incapacitation of dangerous criminals.

Lynard Joiner almost died from COVID-19 and even 8 months later still suffers from  long-term lung and heart damage.  He shares his experience and a message: “COVID is for real. Do the right thing,  wear your mask, stay safe and help keep others safe.”