Healing from trauma and helping others heal from trauma in the high crime community of East St. Louis, Illinois, Skyla Pawnell and Gloria Hicks share their powerful stories of transformation from being victims to community healers.

Ep. 27: Sonya Massey and Mental Health Board

We can do better. Listen and have your eyes opened:
• See criminal justice reality and needed reforms through real-life stories of people with lived experience with crime on both sides of the law.
• Learn about practical solutions for breaking the cycle of crime, achieving healing for victims, and building safer communities.
Hosted by David Risley, former career federal prosecutor and former Director of Public Safety Policy in the Illinois Governor's Office.
Co-hosting many episodes is Lynard Joiner, who went to prison for 17 years in a case prosecuted by Mr. Risley, and who is now Executive Director of Shifting Into New Gear (SING), delivering reentry services and support to people returning to society after release from prison.
What Makes Us Unique
• Unexpected Partnership: The partnership of Mr. Risley and Mr. Joiner, who first met on opposite sides of a federal courtroom on opposite sides of the law, enables listeners to get the real story from both perspectives and demonstrates the power of forgiveness and healing.
• Beyond Theory: We bring you raw, honest stories from people who've lived through incarceration, police our streets, experienced victimization, live in high-crime communities, or work daily in the justice system—paired with concrete examples of cost-effective problem-solving that actually work.
• New Vision of Justice: Instead of legal and social barriers amounting to permanent punishment, we showcase successful reentry programs, community-driven approaches to healing trauma as both a cause and effect of crime, crime prevention, problem-solving courts, and restorative practices that help both victims and offenders rebuild their lives.
Featured Topics
• Life before and inside prison
• Life after prison: challenges, barriers, and successes
• Restorative justice in action
• Effective, community-centered solutions
• Victim healing and offender accountability
• Trauma-informed approaches to crime prevention
• Criminal justice policy reform
Justice Voices is essential listening for concerned citizens, policy-makers, justice professionals, community leaders, and anyone interested in how we can create safer communities by shifting from a punishment approach to justice to a problem-solving approach.